Here's our Guide to the Must-Sees at Asahiyama Zoo in Winter.

We recommend you to start your visit from the Western Entrance !

There are several car parks in the vicinity of the zoo.
The best place to park is the Western Entrance Parking Lot. The Western Entrance is conveniently located near the popular Polar Bear Habitat and the Seal Habitat. The nearest exhibition from the Main Entrance, called ”Totori no Mura,” is closed during the winter, this is why starting your visit from the Western Entrance during winter is highly recommended if you want to get the most out of your visit.

This private car park is open for free until the end of the winter season.

Our writer drew a rough map.
When you come from the direction of the Higashi-Asahikawa, cross the signal, go up the slope, and go through the main gate car park.
As you go downward the curved road, a security guard will guide you to the Western Entrance Parking Lot.

Since this is a one-way road you can't go back to the Main Entrance parking lot.
If you must go to the main gate, go straight ahead, turn round and go up the hill again to enter the area.

Watch your step! It's slippery!

The snow has begun to melt in the north of the city and the ground is becoming visible, but there is still a lot of snow left and you might still need your winter shoes in late march.
The park’s roads and pathways have been cleared of snow, but some places might be still dangerous.
If you are a tourist and have booked accommodation in the city, this advice also applies here!
The city is not well cleared of snow, especially in areas where sunlight does not reach, moreover there is ice underneath the snow.
Even the locals, who should be used to it, often slip on the thin ice.

The picture above was taken in the second week of March.
By the time this article is published, it will have melted a bit more, but you should expect it to be like this.

Translator note: this article has been translated in May, of course, there is no more snow at the moment but you might want to refer to it if you plan to travel in Hokkaido in March.

Oh and, having snowfalls in march and April is not something unusual around here.

We apologize for the inconvenience.

This building is the Hokkaido Brown Bear Habitat, scheduled to open in spring 2022.
Currently, construction is underway on the East side of the amphibian and reptile house in the park, and since this is a fairly large scaled project, some pathways are closed.

You cannot pass the garden road from around the Ezo deer forest to the East gate (the garden road from the monkey house to the Ezo deer forest). Therefore, you will have to take a detour to the reptile house side.

On the left is the amphibian and reptilian house. You can go around the side of it.
But sometimes this happens.

When snow is piled up on the roof of the amphibian and reptilian house, the path next to it is closed to prevent any accident.
In such cases, visitors are instructed to walk through the amphibian and reptilian houses.
If you're not a big fan of snakes, just walk right past it.

Another place that is a bit of a problem when it snows is the Hokkaido Animal House.

The Hokkaido Animal House walkway’s roof is made with beams covered with a net. And, as the weather get better, the snow melts here and there creating a drizzling rain-like thing.
Please be careful, especially If you are carrying a camera on your shoulder.

Click here to see the animals

Here is a selection of the most interesting habitats to see during the winter.
This is a report on the current state of the zoo as seen by the author. Hoping that some of those informations will be useful to you and/or help you to learn more about the Asahiyama Zoo.