Ueno Zoo Statistics (Japan)

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At a glance

  • Japan's oldest zoo, Ueno Zoo, opened in 1882 in Tokyo's Ueno Park.1
  • It covers 14.4 hectares and houses around 3,000 animals of roughly 300 species.2
  • Ueno Zoo had 3.39 million visitors in FY2025,3 more than any other zoo in Japan.2
  • Adult admission is JP¥600, and children up to primary school age enter free.4
  • It opens 9:30am–5pm and is closed on Mondays.4
  • The zoo has had no giant pandas since January 2026.5

How many people visit Ueno Zoo each year?

Ueno Zoo welcomed 3.39 million visitors in FY2025.3

  • The zoo had 3.36 million visitors in FY2024.3
  • In FY2023, the total was 3.26 million.6
  • The FY2025 total was 0.8% higher than the year before.3
  • The zoo's operator put the rise down to people seeing the pandas one last time before they went back to China, strong overseas tourism, and groups being let in from opening time again.7

Note: These are fiscal-year totals for the zoo only. Japan's fiscal year runs from April to March, so FY2025 ended on 31 March 2026.

Ueno Zoo welcomed 3.39 million visitors in FY2025Annual visits, FY2023–FY2025 (Japanese fiscal years, April to March)1M2M3M4M3,264,2753,362,6643,387,959FY2023FY2024FY2025Fiscal year (April–March)Visitors
Ueno Zoo annual visitor attendance, FY2023–FY2025 (Japan's fiscal year runs April to March, so FY2025 ended on 31 March 2026).

How many people have visited Ueno Zoo so far in 2026?

Ueno Zoo recorded 786,865 visits in January–March 2026, 8.7% fewer than in the same months of 2025.3

  • Visits rose 11.7% in January3, the last month the giant panda twins were on show; their final viewing day was 25 January.8
  • Visits then fell 14.7% in February and 19.1% in March, the first full months without giant pandas.3
  • The zoo's deputy director put visits from February to August 2026 at roughly 1.53 million, about 20% down on a year earlier.8
  • The zoo also pointed to an unusually wet year, which forced two temporary closures in June.8
  • Part of the drop is down to a strong 2025, when crowds came to see the twins before they left.8

Note: The latest monthly figures available are for March 2026. The February–August total is a rounded figure given by the zoo.

Zoo-only visits. Monthly figures are published up to March 2026.3
Ueno Zoo visits by month, January–March 2026 vs 2025
Month20262025Change
January286,525256,611+11.7%
February214,097251,071−14.7%
March286,243353,751−19.1%
January–March786,865861,433−8.7%
Ueno Zoo visits fell in February and March 2026 after the pandas left20252026Source: Tokyo Zoological Park Society — Zoo attendance by month, FY2025100K200K300K400K256,611286,525251,071214,097353,751286,243JanuaryFebruaryMarchMonth
Ueno Zoo visits, January–March 2026 compared with January–March 2025.

Does Ueno Zoo still have pandas?

No. Ueno Zoo has had no giant pandas since its twins, Xiao Xiao and Lei Lei, were returned to China on 27 January 2026.7

  • Their last public viewing day was 25 January 2026, when the viewing lottery was more than 20 times oversubscribed.8
  • Ueno Zoo's panda history goes back to 1972, when Kang Kang and Lan Lan arrived as Japan's first giant pandas.8
  • Panda Forest, which opened in 2020, now houses red pandas and golden pheasants.5
  • Work to demolish the old panda house in the East Garden began on 17 August 2026.8
  • Weekday visits have dropped the most since the pandas left, and the zoo's deputy director says it hopes to have giant pandas again.8

How much does it cost to visit Ueno Zoo?

Adult admission is JP¥600 and an adult annual pass is JP¥2,400.4

  • Visitors aged 65 and over pay JP¥300.4
  • Junior high school students pay JP¥200.4
  • Primary school children and younger enter free.4
  • Entry is free on 20 March, 4 May and 1 October.4

Note: Junior high school students living and studying in Tokyo can enter free with proof.4

Adult admission to Ueno Zoo costs JP¥600Admission price by ticket category (JP¥), 2026Annual pass (general)¥2,400General¥60065 years or older¥300Junior high school students¥200Admission price (JPY)
Ueno Zoo admission fees by ticket category (2026).

What are Ueno Zoo's opening hours?

Ueno Zoo is open from 9:30am to 5pm, with last entry and ticket sales one hour before closing.4

  • It is closed on Mondays; when a Monday is a national or substitute holiday, it closes the following day instead.4
  • It is also closed over the New Year break, from 29 December to 1 January.4
  • It does open on some Mondays and hours can change, so check the official calendar for April 2026 to March 2027 before you go.4
  • In FY2025 the zoo's operator extended hours over Golden Week and held summer and autumn evening openings across its parks.7

Where can you camp or stay overnight in a campervan near Ueno Zoo?

Central Tokyo has only a handful of places where a campervan can legally stay overnight, and none is in Ueno itself.9

  • RV Park Tokyo Higashi-Sumida, in Sumida City about 5 km east of the zoo, is the only RV Park in Tokyo's 23 wards, with space for 4 vehicles at JP¥5,000 a night including power and showers.9
  • Kurumatabi Park Tokyo Auto Camper Oji-Kamiya, in Kita City about 7 km north-west of the zoo, has 5 spaces from JP¥1,300 to JP¥4,000 a night for non-members, plus a requested JP¥700 charity donation per night.10
  • It opened in May 2018 as the first overnight car-camping site in the 23 wards.10
  • Wakasu Park Campground in Koto City, about 12 km south-east of the zoo, is closed for renovation and is due to reopen in April 2027.11
  • The Japan Auto Camp Association counted 1,757 auto campgrounds in April 2026, and campers in its annual survey averaged 6.9 nights out in 2025.12
  • Japan had 128,727 registered campervans at the end of March 2025, up 4.2% on a year earlier; only Hokkaido had more than Tokyo.12

Note: Both overnight sites in the 23 wards are small and must be booked in advance.9 Distances are as the crow flies, so expect a longer drive.

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The busiest month in FY2025 was November, with 429,819 visits.3

  • May and October were also busy at 394,515 and 354,528 visits.3
  • April and January followed at 310,701 and 286,525.3
  • July and August were the quietest months at 169,168 and 177,455.3
  • In other words, spring and autumn were the busiest seasons and high summer the quietest.

Note: These are monthly zoo visits for FY2025, which ran from April 2025 to March 2026, so January to March fall in 2026.

November was Ueno Zoo’s busiest month in FY2025Monthly visits, April 2025 – March 2026100K200K300K400K500K169,168429,819AprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecJanFebMarMonthMonthly visits
Monthly visitor attendance at Ueno Zoo, April 2025 – March 2026.

Is Ueno Zoo the most visited zoo in Japan?

Yes. JNTO describes Ueno Zoo as Japan's most visited zoo,2 and it recorded 3.39 million visits in FY2025.3

  • That was 54% of the 6.26 million visits to the four Tokyo-run zoos and aquarium in FY2025.3
  • Tama Zoological Park, Tokyo's other large zoo, recorded 859,715 visits, about a quarter of Ueno's total.3

Note: This section uses zoo-only attendance, not wider Ueno Park visitor traffic.

Ueno Zoo drew more than half of all visits to Tokyo's city-run zoos and aquarium inFY2025Source: Tokyo Zoological Park Society — Zoo attendance by month, FY2025Ueno Zoo3,387,959Kasai Rinkai Aquarium1,341,639Tama Zoological Park859,715Inokashira Park Zoo674,621Visits, FY2025
Visits to the four parks run by the Tokyo Zoological Park Society, fiscal year ended 31 March 2026.

Is Ueno Zoo worth visiting without the pandas?

The zoo's latest visitor survey, published in March 2026, put overall satisfaction at 99%.13

  • The zoo no longer keeps giant pandas: twins Xiao Xiao and Lei Lei were returned to China in January 2026.5
  • Its other headline exhibits, including Gorilla Woods, Tiger Forest, Polar Bear and Seal Oceans, Aye-aye Forest and the shoebills, remain open.14

Note: The latest published visitor survey was conducted in November 2025, while the giant pandas were still on show.13

What are the main attractions at Ueno Zoo?

The zoo's main attractions are split between its East Garden and West Garden.

  • Panda Forest opened in September 2020.1
  • Since the giant pandas left in January 2026, it has been home to red pandas and golden pheasants.5
  • Gorilla Woods and Tiger Forest opened in April 1996.1
  • Polar Bear and Seal Oceans opened in October 2011.1
  • Other highlights include Aye-aye Forest, the Vivarium, the Small Mammal House, Children's Zoo STEP, the African animals and Shinobazu Pond.14
  • The Five-storied Pagoda, an Important Cultural Property, stands inside the zoo grounds.2
  • Monkey Mountain (Saruyama) has been taken down to make way for a new facility; its summit is kept outside the restaurant as a memorial.8

Note: Exhibits can change, so check what's on display before you visit.

What conservation, research and education programmes are in place?

The zoo's conservation work covers four areas: protecting animals in the wild, working with outside partners, its own surveys and research, and raising public awareness.15

  • Its Wildlife Conservation Project works with outside bodies such as the Ministry of the Environment.15
  • Tokyo Metropolitan Zoos and Aquariums work with universities and other research institutes to study animal ecology and breeding.15
  • For schools, Ueno Zoo offers animal observation sessions, careers education support and trainee placements.16

Note: The conservation framework covers all of Tokyo's metropolitan zoos and aquariums; the school programmes are Ueno Zoo's own.

Ueno Zoo FAQs

When did Ueno Zoo open?

Ueno Zoo opened in 1882 as Japan's first zoo, attached to a museum run by the Ministry of Agriculture and Commerce. It was handed to the City of Tokyo in 1924.1

How many animals does Ueno Zoo have?

Ueno Zoo is home to about 3,000 animals from about 300 species, split between the East Garden and the West Garden by Shinobazu Pond.1

Does Ueno Zoo offer group discounts?

Yes. Groups of 20 or more pay JP¥480 per adult, JP¥240 for visitors aged 65 and over, and JP¥160 per junior high school student.4

How much is an annual pass to Ueno Zoo?

An annual pass costs JP¥2,400 for adults and JP¥1,200 for visitors aged 65 and over, and is valid for one year from the date of purchase.4

Is Ueno Zoo free for visitors with disabilities?

Yes. Holders of a disability certificate enter free, along with one accompanying person, when they show the certificate.4

Other Resources

References

  1. Ueno Zoo — About: zoo profile, history, size and animal collection · tokyo-zoo.net ↑ b c d e f
  2. JNTO — Ueno Zoo tourism overview and national positioning · japan.travel ↑ b c d
  3. Tokyo Zoological Park Society — Zoo attendance by month, FY2025 (April 2025–March 2026) · tokyo-zoo.net ↑ b c d e f g h i j k l m n o
  4. Ueno Zoo — Admission fees, annual pass and free entry days · tokyo-zoo.net ↑ b c d e f g h i j k l m n o
  5. Ueno Zoo — Giant Panda Viewing Passage at Panda Forest (news, February 2026) · tokyo-zoo.net ↑ b c d
  6. Tokyo Zoological Park Society — Ueno Zoo annual and monthly attendance (FY2023–FY2024) · tokyo-zoo.net ↑
  7. Tokyo Zoological Park Society — Business report, FY2025 (April 2025–March 2026) · tokyo-zoo.net ↑ b c
  8. Shueisha Online — Ueno Zoo visitors down 20% after pandas' return (interview with deputy director, October 2026) · shueisha.online ↑ b c d e f g h i
  9. JAF Mate — Tokyo's rare overnight car-camping spots: the only RV Park in the 23 wards and two Kurumatabi Parks (January 2026) · jafmate.jp ↑ b c
  10. Kurumatabi Club — Kurumatabi Park Tokyo Auto Camper Oji-Kamiya facility details · kurumatabi.com ↑ b
  11. Tokyo Port Terminal Corporation — Wakasu Park facilities closed for renovation (April 2025–March 2027) · tptc.co.jp ↑
  12. Japan Auto Camp Association — Auto Camp White Paper 2026, summary (2025 auto camping market) · autocamp.or.jp ↑ b
  13. Ueno Zoo — Visitor satisfaction survey (FY2025) · tokyo-zoo.net ↑ b
  14. Ueno Zoo — Main exhibits and attraction highlights · tokyo-zoo.net ↑ b
  15. Ueno Zoo — Conservation and research overview · tokyo-zoo.net ↑ b c
  16. Ueno Zoo — School programs and education activities · tokyo-zoo.net ↑
  17. Ueno Zoo — Wildlife Conservation Project details · tokyo-zoo.net
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