Nasu and Shiobara Model Routes: 2 Plans with Times, Safari Park, Animal Kingdom and a Foot Bath

Model routes for Nasu and Shiobara

Plan A goes from Nasu Safari Park at 9:00 (9:30 on weekdays) to Nasu Animal Kingdom; Plan B visits Shiobara Onsen on day 2.
Nasu Safari Park costs ¥3,200 for adults with entry fees separate; Nasu Animal Kingdom costs ¥2,900, or ¥2,000 in winter.
In November 2026, Nasu Safari Park closes Thursdays and Nasu Animal Kingdom closes Wednesdays, so avoid Wednesday and Thursday for Plan A.

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This page is for people with no plans or bookings yet. Follow it in order and you have a day or a 2-day, 1-night trip in Nasu and Shiobara (Tochigi). In November, Nasu Safari Park opens at 9:00 on weekends and some holidays and at 9:30 on weekdays, closes at 16:30 (entry to the Safari Zone is until 15:45), and is closed every Thursday. Nasu Animal Kingdom is open 10:00–16:30 on weekdays and 9:00–17:00 on weekends in November. Yupponosato in Shiobara Onsen, which is the next day’s stop, opens at 9:00. Both zoos in Nasu are far from a station, and the Animal Kingdom’s free shuttle bus is by reservation only until 17:00 the day before, so if you move without bookings, plan on a car.

In short

Two animal parks in 1 day: Plan A (Nasu Safari Park at 9:00, or 9:30 on weekdays, then Nasu Animal Kingdom).
One night with hot springs: Plan B (day 1 Nasu Animal Kingdom, sleep in Nasu; day 2 Yupponosato in Shiobara Onsen, a foot bath, then a day-trip hot spring).
Nasu Animal Kingdom is closed every Wednesday in November (4, 11, 18 and 25), and on December 2, 9 and 14 to 16. Nasu Safari Park is closed every Thursday in November, so for Plan A avoid Wednesday and Thursday.

Checked with official pages on November 1, 2026 (Japan time).

1. Two model routes in Nasu and Shiobara, with times

Plan A starts at Nasu Safari Park at 9:00, and Plan B spends day 1 at Nasu Animal Kingdom and day 2 in Shiobara Onsen. Times follow each place’s opening time and are a guide only. Travel time between places is not included.

Time	Plan A (1 day)	Plan B (1 night, 2 days)	Parking
Day 1, morning	From 9:00 (9:30 on weekdays) Nasu Safari Park	From 10:00 (9:00 on weekends) Nasu Animal Kingdom	Safari: about 350 spaces, free
Day 1, afternoon	Nasu Animal Kingdom (until 16:30)	Stay in Nasu	Animal Kingdom: ¥1,000 for a car
Day 2	—	From 9:00 Yupponosato → the foot bath at Shiobara Monogatari-kan → Mori no Ideyu Fukunoyu	—

Sources: the official sites of each place and the Shiobara Onsen Tourism Association (checked Nov 1, 2026).

2. Things to know in Nasu and Shiobara (cars and winter hours)

The zoos in Nasu are designed for visitors with a car, and the Safari Zone at the safari park is entered by car or by a lion bus or similar.

By train, Nasu Safari Park’s official site says to take a local bus toward Nasu Yumoto and the ropeway from Nasu-Shiobara Station or Kuroiso Station.
The Nasu Animal Kingdom free shuttle bus leaves Nasu-Shiobara Station, West Exit bus rotary, stop 2, at 9:50 and arrives at 10:25, and the return leaves at 16:30. It is fully reservation-only, and you book by 17:00 the day before.
Nasu Animal Kingdom’s entry fee for adults drops from ¥2,900 to ¥2,000 in the winter period (check which days are in the winter period by the colors on the official calendar).

3. Plan A: from the safari park to the Animal Kingdom (1 day)

Nasu Safari Park

About 500 animals of around 50 species live here, and you tour the Safari Zone by lion bus, safari car or your own car. Admission is ¥3,200 for adults (junior high school and older) and ¥1,900 for children (age 3 to elementary school), and a separate fee applies for each way of entering the zone. In November it opens at 9:00 on weekends and some holidays and at 9:30 on weekdays, until 16:30, and entry to the Safari Zone is until 15:45 (from 9:30 on weekends and from 10:00 on weekdays). It is closed every Thursday in November. Parking is free for about 350 cars (admission and hours page of Nasu Safari Park, Japanese).

Name	Nasu Safari Park
Address	3523 Takaku-Otsu, Nasu-machi, Nasu-gun, Tochigi
Hours / Closed	November 2026: Weekends and some holidays 9:00–16:30, weekdays 9:30–16:30 (Closed Thursdays. Safari Zone entry until 15:45)
Phone	0287-78-0838
Map	Open in Google Maps ↗
Official site	Open the official site ↗

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Nasu Animal Kingdom

Entry in the regular period is ¥2,900 for adults (junior high school and older) and ¥1,300 for children (age 3 to elementary school), and in the winter period ¥2,000 for adults and ¥1,000 for children. There is also a set ticket with ¥1,200 of vouchers for the shops and restaurants inside (¥3,900 for adults). Parking is ¥1,000 for a car (entry fee page of Nasu Animal Kingdom, Japanese). In November the park is open 10:00–16:30 on weekdays and 9:00–17:00 on weekends and most holidays, and the hours for each day are on the opening calendar.

Name	Nasu Animal Kingdom
Address	1042-1 Oshima, Nasu-machi, Nasu-gun, Tochigi
Hours / Closed	November 2026: Weekdays 10:00–16:30, weekends and most holidays 9:00–17:00 (Closed Wednesdays. Closed December 2, 9, 14–16)
Phone	0287-77-1110
Map	Open in Google Maps ↗
Official site	Open the official site ↗

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4. Plan B: add a night after the Animal Kingdom, then Shiobara Onsen on day 2

On day 1, take your time at Nasu Animal Kingdom from Plan A and stay in Nasu. You can compare rooms and prices in Rakuten Travel’s list of inns in Nasu, Itamuro and Kuroiso (ad). On day 2, move to Shiobara Onsen.

Yupponosato

A hot spring park in the middle of Shiobara Onsen town with a 60 m foot bath, divided into 6 zones. It is open from 9:00 to 18:00 (until 17:00 from December to March). The foot bath facility is ¥300 for adults and ¥200 for elementary and junior high school students.

Name	Yupponosato
Address	602-1 Shiobara, Nasushiobara City, Tochigi
Hours / Closed	9:00–18:00 (until 17:00 December–March)
Phone	0287-32-3101
Map	Open in Google Maps ↗
Official site	Open the official site ↗

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The foot bath at Shiobara Monogatari-kan

A free foot bath attached to Shiobara Monogatari-kan, the sightseeing base of Shiobara Onsen. You can use it from 9:00 to 17:00.

Name	The foot bath at Shiobara Monogatari-kan
Address	747 Shiobara, Nasushiobara City, Tochigi
Hours / Closed	9:00–17:00
Phone	0287-32-4000
Map	Open in Google Maps ↗
Official site	Open the official site ↗

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Mori no Ideyu Fukunoyu (Shiobara Green Village)

A day-trip hot spring with an open-air bath overlooking Shiobara Gorge. It is open from 10:00 to 20:00 and costs ¥750 for adults (junior high school and older), ¥430 for children (age 3 to elementary school) and ¥380 for ages 65 and over. It has a few maintenance closures a year (day-trip hot spring list of the Shiobara Onsen Tourism Association, Japanese).

Prices and hours may change.

Name	Mori no Ideyu Fukunoyu (Shiobara Green Village)
Address	1230 Shiobara, Nasushiobara City, Tochigi
Hours / Closed	10:00–20:00 (open year-round, with a few maintenance closures a year)
Phone	0287-32-2751
Map	Open in Google Maps ↗
Official site	Open the official site ↗