Get an up-close view of a massive polar bear at Asahiyama Zoo

On the morning of Day 6 of our Hokkaido self-drive trip, our family planned to visit Asahiyama Zoo before taking a Japan Airlines flight back to Tokyo in the afternoon.

After enjoying breakfast in our room at the Toyoko Inn Hokkaido Asahikawa Station Higashi-guchi, we drove about 30 minutes to Asahiyama Zoo.

The free parking lot near the zoo’s main entrance was very spacious. Since we arrived early in the morning, there were not many cars, and plenty of parking spaces were still available. After parking, we walked to the ticket counter, purchased our admission tickets, and entered through the main gate.

The first animal we visited was the giraffe. It seemed that there was only one giraffe in the enclosure, as we did not see any others. Sharing the habitat with the giraffe were many birds. The giraffe was busy enjoying its breakfast, happily munching on leaves.

We also saw king penguins both indoors and outdoors. Although we could not watch the famous penguin parade that takes place during the winter season, the penguins still appeared relaxed and content. We also visited the sloth, which lived up to its reputation by moving very slowly and hardly changing its position.

There were many other familiar and adorable animals, including goats, various birds, rabbits, and more. However, because the weather was a little hot, most of the animals were not very active.

The highlight of our visit was undoubtedly the polar bears. Normally, we only see polar bears on television or in videos, so it was an amazing experience to suddenly see a huge polar bear swimming right toward us through a giant glass viewing panel. After approaching the glass, it swam around the rocks in its enclosure, pushing off from the familiar rock walls as it moved through the water. Its enormous body and giant yellowish paws were incredibly impressive and surprisingly cute.

↑ A polar bear swimming and pushing off the rocks as it moves through the water.

After we had seen most of the animals, it was time to leave the zoo. Before heading out, we noticed a food stand selling Hokkaido fresh milk soft-serve ice cream, so we bought one to try. It was rich, creamy, and absolutely delicious. Hokkaido ice cream truly lives up to its reputation. If we have the opportunity, we would love to return in winter to watch the zoo’s famous seasonal penguin walk.