Nogeyama Zoo
Nogeyama Zoo is located near our hotel. It is currently undergoing some redesign and renovation, so admission is free, and we decided to visit. Upon entering, there is a shop selling merchandise, mainly plush toys of the zoo's animal stars, which are very cute in design. There aren't many large animals in the zoo, with giraffes and bears being the main attractions. The polar bear was not present, and its enclosure was used for landscaping and art displays. However, there are four features in the zoo that I particularly liked. First, the guinea pig exhibit. Each guinea pig is adorable, whether they are sleeping or active, and the zoo has even named them, making them feel more personable. Second, the zoo director uses leaves to create animal art designs, and posters and pictures of these can be seen throughout the zoo, which was a pleasant surprise. Third, I saw an anteater for the first time, which made me very happy. Fourth, there are many turtles bred within the zoo. Information about their birth dates and names is available, making it interesting to observe and accompany their growth year by year. This makes me want to visit again, and I hope the renovations will make the zoo even better.