Tennoji Zoo — Attraction in Osaka

I recently visited Tennoji Zoo in Osaka, and it was one of the most distressing and upsetting experiences I’ve ever had at any animal facility. From the moment I walked in, I was shocked by the appalling conditions these animals are being kept in. The enclosures are unbelievably small, filthy, and barren of any meaningful stimulation or enrichment.

Many of the birds were housed alone in tiny cages, some with barely any shade and murky, dirty water to drink. One large bird had its wings visibly clipped and could no longer fly—trapped in a confined space with no way to exercise or express natural behavior. The monkeys were in equally grim enclosures: some isolated, others clearly distressed, with no toys or mental stimulation whatsoever. It was so heartbreaking that I was brought to tears.

The lion looked emaciated and completely lifeless, lying around in a barren, tiny enclosure with no toys, no stimulation, and limited shade. It was a warm day during my visit (around 25°C), and I can’t imagine how much worse it gets in the peak of summer with such limited protection from the sun. The polar bear looked visibly distressed, yet crowds of visitors stood around laughing and taking photos—completely oblivious to the animal’s suffering.

The only enclosure that was even moderately acceptable was the one for the giraffes, which appears to be the zoo’s “selling point.” But even that space was just passable—not impressive or ideal. Most other animals were confined in disgracefully inadequate spaces that fail to meet even the most basic standards of animal welfare.

Coming from Australia, where animal welfare laws are far stricter, I can say with certainty that a zoo like this would never be allowed to operate. I’m appalled that Tennoji Zoo is still open, and I will be reporting my experience to the appropriate authorities and platforms. No one should support this kind of cruelty.

Please do not visit this zoo or give them your money. It’s not educational or enriching—it’s a tragic display of animal neglect and suffering. If you’ve ever been to a well-run, ethical wildlife sanctuary, it’s impossible to see this place as anything but unacceptable. This facility should...

I had a very sad experience at this zoo. I don't know much about animal welfare laws, but what I saw makes me feel guilty that I even paid to visit this zoo. When I arrived at Tennoji park I thought I would only see a few animals since the space did not seem enough to accommodate many. I first had lunch at the restaurant and then bought some souvernirs at the gift shop (silly me). The first animals I saw were the flamingos, I kept looking to the back to see if there was more space for them, surely they needed a larger area, well, there wasn't any more space! I kept telling my self that it was OK, that it was mainly for educational purposes, that perhaps this was the only way some people would ever get to see these animals. I kept walking... I passed some large birds and thought they looked like they were in jail. I should have left then, but I kept walking. I had hope that I would see something more 'humane' before leaving. I got to where the red pandas are kept and saw this very cute creature, which looked like it was happy, so I approached the display area and carefully followed its movements. The red panda seemed to be looking for something, it kept going to the corners looking up and down. Was it looking for a place to 'escape'? That's how I interpreted it. I'd have probably done the same. This was when I turned around and headed for the exit. On the way to the exit, a family member invited me to see the chimpanzees. Again, they looked like they were in jail. 'What crime did they commit to be treated like this? '.. I thought. I left this place thinking that perhaps zoos are not for me.. and should zoos like this really...

First thing first, Expansive Zoo. Closing time is 5pm. Needs 2 hours here. So if you cannot reach by 2pm latest (not 3pm, but 2pm), Do not come here! You will feel scammed! Although the zoo's closing time is 5pm, 90% of the animals "go back to their rooms" at 4pm. So from 4pm onwards, you only see visitors rushing from exhibit to exhibit but not seeing anything, except empty cages. Many disappointed faces after 4pm with whispers of "scam, con, bluff people.." floating around. No giraffes, no wolves. See pics.

Secondly, the place is a bit dilapidated and messy. Not your usual Japan standard of cleanliness (except the new penguin and sea lion enclosure). See pics.

Thirdly, for all the kawai-ness of Japan, most of the animals are all kept in cold, iron cages instead of enclosures that are built to resemble their natural habitat. Got a bit of rude shock when walking past the cages of the different families of monkeys. The cages look like solitary jail cells. The flamigoes are kept in "netting-cages". The red pandas are kept in poorly designed and maintained environment. See pics.

Lastly the place closes at 5pm and the reptile house which is right beside the exit is already close at 4.45pm. Instead of letting visitors visit the reptiles before leaving the place, it's closed. So we saw visitors run back in to visit other animals that they missed earlier (only to realise the animals are all in their rooms already).

All in all, it is a cheap zoo to go. But it is a waste of time if you arrive any later than 2pm.

You can give it a miss if you are pressed for time or you have been to better ones like the...