4 zoos and aquariums in Hiroshima
- Adult tickets run from ¥510 to ¥1,420, and elementary and junior high school students enter free at Asa Zoological Park and Takao Fukuyama Zoo (junior high school and younger).
- Miyajima Aquarium is closed from December 1, 2026 to March 31, 2027.
PR: This page contains advertising. The link to Rakuten Travel in section 6 is an affiliate link, and we may earn a commission. The site is in Japanese.
Hiroshima has four zoos and aquariums that are easy to compare: Asa Zoological Park in Hiroshima City, Takao Fukuyama Zoo in Fukuyama City, Miyajima Aquarium in Hatsukaichi City and Shin Mariho Aquarium in Nishi Ward, Hiroshima City. This guide compares them by adult ticket price, parking and closed days. Three of the four can be reached without a car (Asa by train and bus, Miyajima by ferry, Mariho on foot from a station). Fukuyama is a zoo you drive to.
In short
- Adult tickets run from ¥510 (Asa) to ¥1,420 (Miyajima). Mariho is ¥1,200 on weekdays and ¥1,400 on weekends and holidays (section 1).
- Miyajima Aquarium is closed from December 1, 2026 to March 31, 2027, so the last day to go is November 30 (section 1).
- Elementary and junior high school students are free at Asa. At Fukuyama, junior high school students and younger are free (section 2).
- Only Mariho is close to a station. Fukuyama has no public transport (section 3).
- All four sell tickets on the day. You do not need to book (see Common questions).
Checked with official pages on October 12, 2026.
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1. How do the four compare on parking, tickets and closed days?
Set by each facility
Miyajima Aquarium is closed from December 1, 2026 to March 31, 2027, so you can go only until November 30. The other three are open this winter. The table shows the adult price.
| Place | Parking | Adult | Closed |
|---|---|---|---|
| Asa Zoological Park | About 1,200 spaces, ¥450 for a car | ¥510 | Thursdays (open on holidays) |
| Takao Fukuyama Zoo | 700 spaces, free (8:30–18:00) | ¥520 (age 15 and over) | Tuesdays (next day if a holiday) |
| Miyajima Aquarium | None (2 accessible spaces only) | ¥1,420 | December 1, 2026 to March 31, 2027 |
| Shin Mariho Aquarium | Alpark car park, first 4 hours free | ¥1,200 weekdays, ¥1,400 weekends and holidays | Usually the third Thursday |
2. What do children pay at each place?
Set by each facility
Elementary and junior high school students are free at both zoos, while the two aquariums charge from age 4 (Miyajima) or age 3 (Mariho). The table lists each place’s own age groups.
| Place | Adult | Children | Under school age |
|---|---|---|---|
| Asa Zoological Park | ¥510 (age 65 and over ¥170) | High school ¥170. Elementary and junior high free | Free |
| Takao Fukuyama Zoo | ¥520 (age 15 and over) | Junior high school and younger free | Free |
| Miyajima Aquarium | ¥1,420 (includes high school) | Junior high and elementary ¥710 each | Age 4 and over ¥400. Under 4 free |
| Shin Mariho Aquarium | ¥1,200 weekdays, ¥1,400 weekends (age 16 and over) | Age 7–15: ¥700 weekdays, ¥800 weekends | Age 3–6: ¥400 weekdays, ¥500 weekends. Age 2 and under free |
3. How do I get to each one?
Set by each facility
Only Shin Mariho Aquarium is a short walk from a station. Your choice of place decides whether you use a train, a bus, a ferry or a car.
You cannot get to Asa Zoological Park directly from Hiroshima Station or the bus center. Take the Astram Line to Kamiyasu Station, change to a route bus, and get off at “Asa Zoological Park”. The direct buses from Hiroshima Station were discontinued on January 23, 2021, according to the zoo’s access page (Japanese).
Takao Fukuyama Zoo has no public transport, so you go by car. It is about 15 km northwest of Fukuyama Station and has 700 free parking spaces (see the zoo’s visitor information (Japanese)).
For Miyajima Aquarium, take the ferry from Miyajimaguchi to Miyajima Island and walk from there. Each time you enter the island, you pay a Miyajima visitor tax (宮島訪問税) of ¥100 per person (see Hatsukaichi City’s visitor tax page (Japanese)). The aquarium has no general car park, so leave your car at Miyajimaguchi.
Shin Mariho Aquarium is inside Alpark, a shopping mall, and you can walk to it from a station. It is the easiest of the four to plan around on a rainy day, because it is indoors. The two zoos are mostly outdoors. For other indoor options, see Rainy-Day Museums and Aquariums in Hiroshima Prefecture: 8 Places Compared (2026).
4. Asa Zoological Park (Asakita Ward, Hiroshima City)
Asa Zoological Park costs ¥510 for an adult, and elementary and junior high school students are free. Age 65 and over and high school students pay ¥170. For the age 65 and over price, you need something that shows your age, such as a health insurance card or a driver’s licence (see admission and parking (Japanese)).
If you drive, parking is ¥450 for an ordinary car, and there are about 1,200 spaces. The ticket booth takes credit cards and PayPay and similar QR payments.
Strollers are rented at the information desk just inside the front gate, on the left, for ¥350 per rental (for children from about 7 months to 2 years old). Wheelchairs are free. Both are limited in number and cannot be reserved (see services (Japanese)).
If you enter on a rainy day, you get one animal card with a photo of an animal. One kind is given out each day, and no cards are given out during Golden Week or on Night Safari days (see special offers (Japanese)).
An annual pass is shared by three facilities: Asa Zoological Park, Hiroshima City Botanical Garden and Hiroshima City Forest Park Insect House. It costs ¥1,560 for an adult, about three adult visits, and lets you enter as often as you like for one year (see annual pass (Japanese)).
If you show a ticket for Hiroshima Motomachi Aquarium (Naka Ward) or the Numaji Transport Museum, the price drops. An adult pays ¥430 instead of ¥510, and age 65 and over and children pay ¥130 instead of ¥170. The discount with Hiroshima Motomachi Aquarium runs until March 31, 2027.
Since June 5, 2026, part of the West Garden has been closed because a wild Asiatic black bear appeared on a camera in the park. The closed area is shown on the zoo’s notice about the partial closure (Japanese).
Hours are 9:00–16:30, with the last entry at 16:00. It is closed on Thursdays (open if Thursday is a public holiday) and from December 29 to January 1. Address: Asa-cho Oaza Dobutsuen, Asakita Ward, Hiroshima City. Phone: 082-838-1111. Google Maps
| Name | Asa Zoological Park |
|---|---|
| Address | Asa-cho Oaza Dobutsuen, Asakita Ward, Hiroshima City |
| Hours / Closed | 9:00–16:30 (last entry 16:00; closed Thursdays, open on public holidays; closed December 29–January 1) |
| Phone | 082-838-1111 |
| Map | Open in Google Maps ↗ |
| Official site | Open the official site ↗ |
↑ Back to the comparison table
5. Takao Fukuyama Zoo (Fukuyama City)
Takao Fukuyama Zoo (also known as Fukuyama Municipal Zoo) costs ¥520 for age 15 and over, and junior high school students and younger are free. Residents of Fukuyama City aged 65 and over are free if they show a driver’s licence or other proof of address and age. JAF members and one companion (two people including the member) pay ¥410 each (see visitor information (Japanese)).
There is no annual pass. Instead, you can join the zoo’s friends’ association, which gives free entry for one year. It costs ¥1,500 for an individual or ¥4,000 for a family of up to six people living together (see the zoo’s Q&A (Japanese)).
The zoo is closed every Tuesday (the next day if Tuesday is a public holiday). The ticket machine at the right of the front entrance takes credit cards, transit IC and other e-money, and QR payments. Only the new machine does.
There is no restaurant. A shop in the park sells snacks. You can bring a packed lunch, but you take your trash home. Pets are not allowed. Strollers are ¥100 each to rent, and wheelchairs are free.
A nursing room is available below the entrance gate. The lobby and nursing room inside the management building are closed for construction until December 28, 2026 (see the notice (Japanese)).
Hours are 9:00–16:30, with the last entry at 16:00. The zoo is also closed from December 29 to January 1. A group must reserve by phone by the day before. Address: 7276-1 Fukuda, Ashida-cho, Fukuyama City (広島県福山市芦田町大字福田7276番地1). Phone: 084-958-3200. Google Maps
| Name | Takao Fukuyama Zoo (Fukuyama Municipal Zoo) |
|---|---|
| Address | 7276-1 Fukuda, Ashida-cho, Fukuyama City |
| Hours / Closed | 9:00–16:30 (last entry 16:00; closed Tuesdays, or the next day if Tuesday is a public holiday; closed December 29–January 1) |
| Phone | 084-958-3200 |
| Map | Open in Google Maps ↗ |
| Official site | Open the official site ↗ |
↑ Back to the comparison table
6. Miyajima Aquarium (Miyajima, Hatsukaichi City)
An adult ticket (high school and over) at Miyajima Aquarium is ¥1,420, and junior high and elementary school students pay ¥710 each. Children aged 4 and over before school pay ¥400, and children under 4 are free. You cannot buy a ticket with a credit card or e-money. Pay in cash (see the aquarium’s visitor information (Japanese) and FAQ (Japanese)).
The aquarium is closed for facility repairs from December 1, 2026 to March 31, 2027. Convenience-store admission vouchers can be bought until November 26 at Lawson and FamilyMart, and until November 29 at 7-Eleven (see the closure notice (Japanese)).
The annual pass is ¥3,560 for a general adult. The aquarium’s visitor information explains how the pass is handled during the closure.
To get there, take the ferry from Miyajimaguchi Pier to Miyajima Pier, then walk about 5 minutes from the exit of Itsukushima Shrine. The Miyajima Matsudai Kisen ferry costs ¥400 round trip for an adult (junior high school and over) and ¥200 round trip for a child (elementary school), plus the visitor tax (see the ferry’s fares (Japanese)). There is no general car park; only 2 accessible parking spaces.
Plan about 1 hour 30 minutes for the exhibits, or about 2 hours if you visit the shop or join an event. A covered seating area can be used in the rain, except during the sea lion live show. Strollers and wheelchairs are free to borrow, and the nursing room is on the first floor next to the information desk.
From October 10 to November 30, 2026, a special exhibition on insects is on: “Living Illustrated Encyclopedia LIFE: Learn Everything with the Moving Insect Lab” (see the news on the official site (Japanese)).
PR · Ad / affiliate link. If you stay on Miyajima, Rakuten Travel lists hotels and inns on Miyajima, Miyahama Onsen and Hatsukaichi. The site is in Japanese; check the price and conditions on the final confirmation screen.
See hotels and inns on Miyajima on Rakuten Travel (Ad, Japanese)
Hours are 9:00–17:00, with the last entry at 16:00. Address: 10-3 Miyajima-cho, Hatsukaichi City (広島県廿日市市宮島町10-3). Phone: 0829-44-2010. Google Maps
| Name | Miyajima Aquarium (Miyaji Marine) |
|---|---|
| Address | 10-3 Miyajima-cho, Hatsukaichi City |
| Hours / Closed | 9:00–17:00 (last entry 16:00). Closed December 1, 2026–March 31, 2027 |
| Phone | 0829-44-2010 |
| Map | Open in Google Maps ↗ |
| Official site | Open the official site ↗ |
↑ Back to the comparison table
7. Shin Mariho Aquarium (Nishi Ward, Hiroshima City)
On weekdays Shin Mariho Aquarium costs ¥1,200 for an adult, ¥700 for ages 7–15 and ¥400 for ages 3–6, and weekends and holidays are ¥100–¥200 more. Children aged 2 and under are free. Prices change by day, so check the day’s category on the aquarium’s calendar (white is a weekday, green is a weekend or holiday and blue is a special day). There are no discount tickets. You cannot get a refund after you buy a ticket, and a day ticket does not allow re-entry (see the aquarium’s ticket page (Japanese)).
The aquarium is on the third floor of the East Building of Alpark. It is about a 3-minute walk from Shin-Inokuchi Station on the JR Sanyo Line, or from Shoko Center-iriguchi Station on the Hiroden Miyajima Line. If you drive, use the Alpark car park. At the East, South and West Buildings the first 4 hours are free, then ¥200 per 30 minutes. For the East Building car park, enter through the South Building entrance (see Alpark’s access page (Japanese)).
An annual pass costs ¥3,600 for an adult (16 and over), ¥2,100 for ages 7–15 and ¥1,200 for ages 3–6. Pass holders get one more hour of free parking. If you buy a day ticket, you can switch to an annual pass on the same day by paying the difference in cash.
Plan 30 minutes to 1 hour for a visit. There is no nursing room inside the aquarium; it is on the third floor of Alpark’s East Building. Strollers and wheelchairs are borrowed at Alpark (see the aquarium’s FAQ (Japanese)).
Hours are usually 10:00–18:00 on weekdays and 10:00–19:00 on weekends and holidays, with the last entry 30 minutes before closing. Some days have special hours, so check “today’s hours” on the top page and the calendar. The aquarium is usually closed on the third Thursday of the month, but some busy months have no closed day. Address: 2-26-1 Kusatsu-shinmachi, Nishi Ward, Hiroshima City, Alpark East Building 3F (広島県広島市西区草津新町2-26-1 アルパーク東棟3F). Phone: 082-278-1616. Google Maps
| Name | Shin Mariho Aquarium |
|---|---|
| Address | 2-26-1 Kusatsu-shinmachi, Nishi Ward, Hiroshima City, Alpark East Building 3F |
| Hours / Closed | Standard hours: Weekdays 10:00–18:00, weekends and holidays 10:00–19:00 (last entry 30 min before closing; special hours apply on some days, check "Today's Hours" on the official top page and the operating calendar). Closed 3rd Thursday of the month (no closed days in some busy months) |
| Phone | 082-278-1616 |
| Map | Open in Google Maps ↗ |
| Official site | Open the official site ↗ |
↑ Back to the comparison table
8. Which one suits my plan?
If you want to keep a child’s ticket price low, Asa Zoological Park (free for elementary and junior high school students) or Takao Fukuyama Zoo (free for junior high school students and younger) are the two to look at.
If you want a zoo you can reach without a car, Asa Zoological Park is the one. You change to a bus at Kamiyasu Station on the Astram Line.
If it is raining, or you want to see everything in 1 to 2 hours, Shin Mariho Aquarium is a short walk from a station.
If you want to see Seto Inland Sea creatures and the sea lion live show, go to Miyajima Aquarium by November 30, 2026.
Common questions
Which places are free for elementary school students?
Asa Zoological Park and Takao Fukuyama Zoo. Miyajima Aquarium charges ¥710 for elementary school students, and Shin Mariho Aquarium charges ¥700 on weekdays for ages 7–15.
Do I need to book in advance?
No. At all four you can buy a ticket on the day at the ticket window or ticket machine. A group visiting Takao Fukuyama Zoo must reserve by phone by the day before.
Are they open in winter?
Yes, except Miyajima Aquarium. Asa Zoological Park closes on Thursdays, Takao Fukuyama Zoo on Tuesdays and Shin Mariho Aquarium usually on the third Thursday. Miyajima Aquarium is closed from December 1, 2026 to March 31, 2027.
Next steps
- Plan the ferry to Miyajima: How to Get to Miyajima (2026): Ferry ¥200 One Way Plus ¥100 Visitor Tax, About 10 Minutes.
- Look for something indoors: Rainy-Day Museums and Aquariums in Hiroshima Prefecture: 8 Places Compared (2026).
Sources (checked October 2026)
4 pages we checked
- Asa Zoological Park (Japanese): admission and parking, access, services, special offers, annual pass, partial closure notice
- Takao Fukuyama Zoo (Japanese): visitor information, Q&A, notices
- Miyajima Aquarium (Japanese): visitor information, FAQ, closure notice; ferry fares; visitor tax (Hatsukaichi City)
- Shin Mariho Aquarium (Japanese): tickets, FAQ; Alpark access
Fares, hours and exhibits can change. The official pages are in Japanese. Thumbnail photo: Pexels (Mehmet Turgut Kirkgoz).
