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Inokashira Park Zoo

Coordinates: 35°42′2.999″N 139°34′21.900″E / 35.70083306°N 139.57275000°E / 35.70083306; 139.57275000
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Inokashira Park Zoo
Inokashira Park Zoo
Map
35°42′2.999″N 139°34′21.900″E / 35.70083306°N 139.57275000°E / 35.70083306; 139.57275000
Date opened1942
MembershipsJAZA[1]
Websitewww.tokyo-zoo.net

Inokashira Park Zoo (Japanese: いのかしらしぜんぶんかえん; Kanji: 井の頭自然文化園) is a city zoo in Musashino, Tokyo. It is in a corner of Inokashira Park near the Ghibli Museum. A branch of the zoo is in Mitaka. It opened on May 17, 1942.[2]

History 

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In September 1905, Shibusawa Eiichi borrowed a corner of Inokashira Gotenyama Garden from the imperial family and founded the Tokyo Maternity Hospital Conversion Division (later Inokashira School) to accommodate juvenile delinquents.[3] On May 1, 1917, the entire town was granted to Tokyo and Inokashira Park was opened. On May 5, 1934, "Nakanoshima small animal zoo" opened at the current branch location.[4]

In 1939, when the Inokashira school relocated, the plan to build a big zoo in this area was advanced. Initially it was conceived as "a big zoo" comparable to the Ueno Zoo, but due to the wartime budget and supplies shortage, large animals can not be gathered. The plan changed to a "nature observation park". It opened on May 17, 1942.[4]

Two giraffes were bred at the time of the opening, but both died by the end of the war.[4]

Overview 

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In 2006, to reduce the risk of breeding, the Ministry of the Environment moved some endangered Tsushima leopard cats to the zoo. Breeding restarted on February 22, 2008.[5][6]

It is divided into a main zoo in Gotenyama, Musashino and a branch location in Inokashira, Mitaka. In the main park, mainly mammals and birds are raised, and waterfowl are kept in the garden surrounded by Inokashira pond. Also, there is a cultural museum, where special exhibitions and lectures or meetings are held.[7] There was also a "tropical bird greenhouse", but on June 2, 2013, it closed due to its age.[8] There is an aquarium with fish and amphibians in the secondary park.

A sculpture garden is in one corner of the park with works by Seibo Kitamura.[9][10] In addition, a small amusement park (a merry-go round, teacups, train) is in another corner of the park.[11]

Animals

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A Japanese squirrel

The zoo displays 170 animal species focusing on native species and a few exotic species.

Main Park
Aquatic Life Park

Hanako

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Hanako on April 28th, 2006

Hanako (1947–2016) was a female Asian elephant that was kept the zoo. She was born in Thailand in 1947 and came to Japan for the first time after the war, gifted to Ueno Zoo in 1949. She inherited the name of the elephant "Hanako (Wanry)" who was starved to death during the war. Hanako toured the whole country and Tokyo under the Ueno Zoo's "Mobile Zoo" project that began in 1950 and visited Inokashira Natural Culture Park for three consecutive years. On 5 March 1954 she was moved to Inokashira Park Zoo from Ueno Zoo.[12][13]

In 1956, she stepped on and killed a man who was inebriated and trespassing before the garden opened.[14] In 1960 she stepped on and killed a male keeper.[15]

Her lower left teeth fell out in the 1980s, so she has been fed with a liquid diet consisting of banana and apple. In 2013, Hanako broke the longevity record of elephants raised in Japan.[16] On May 26, 2016, she died at the age of 69.[17]

References

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  1. ^ "加盟園館検索". 日本動物園水族館協会 (in Japanese).[permanent dead link‍]
  2. ^ "井の頭自然文化園の歴史 ｜ 井の頭自然文化園公式サイト - 東京ズーネット". www.tokyo-zoo.net (in Japanese). Retrieved 2018-11-27.
  3. ^ Laboratory, K Creative. "明治後期に高まる「郊外型公園」への機運 - 桜草数寄（Sakuraso House）". sakuraso.jp (in Japanese). Retrieved 2018-11-27.
  4. ^ a b c 井の頭自然文化園50年の歩みと将来. 武蔵野: 東京都建設局西部公園緑地事務所. 1992.
  5. ^ "第1回 絶滅危惧種ツシマヤマネコに会ってみた" (in Japanese). Retrieved 2018-11-27.
  6. ^ "井の頭自然文化園：「ヤマネコ祭」２９・３０日開催…東京 - 毎日新聞". 毎日新聞 (in Japanese). Retrieved 2018-11-27.
  7. ^ "井の頭自然文化園で「大人のための動物園・水族園講座」 ゆったり学び楽しむ". 吉祥寺経済新聞 (in Japanese). Retrieved 2018-11-27.
  8. ^ "熱帯鳥温室の取り壊し工事開始のお知らせと、飼育されていた動物たちの移動先について". 東京ズーネット TOKYO ZOO NET (in Japanese). Retrieved 2018-11-27.
  9. ^ "動物が生き生き暮らす「井の頭自然文化園」 親子向けエリア紹介 | いこレポ". report.iko-yo.net (in Japanese). Retrieved 2018-11-27.
  10. ^ 日本経済新聞社・日経BP社. "東京・武蔵野、三鷹 昭和史、文人に思いはせる 四季の移ろい、自…｜フード・レストラン｜NIKKEI STYLE". NIKKEI STYLE (in Japanese). Retrieved 2018-11-27.
  11. ^ "「こどもの日」都内の入園無料スポット11選！ 遊園地＆動物園も | いこレポ". report.iko-yo.net (in Japanese). Retrieved 2018-11-27.
  12. ^ "はな子が去って、まもなく2年... 井の頭自然文化園の「ゾウ舎」特別開放". ニコニコニュース (in Japanese). Retrieved 2018-11-27.
  13. ^ "三鷹市 ｜井の頭自然文化園のアジアゾウ「はな子」に感謝状を贈呈します". 2013-04-14. Archived from the original on 2013-04-14. Retrieved 2018-11-27.
  14. ^ "父の生き方は象のはな子がみんな教えてくれた". オピニオンサイト「iRONNA（いろんな）」 (in Japanese). Retrieved 2018-11-27.
  15. ^ "asahi.com（朝日新聞社）：「はな子」お世話、今後は柵越しだゾウ 飼育事故多発で - 社会". 2011-09-24. Archived from the original on 2011-09-24. Retrieved 2018-11-27.
  16. ^ "アジアゾウ「はな子」、日本新記録!!". 東京ズーネット TOKYO ZOO NET (in Japanese). Retrieved 2018-11-27.
  17. ^ "ゾウ：国内最高齢「はな子」死ぬ６９歳 井の頭自然文化園 - 毎日新聞". 毎日新聞 (in Japanese). Retrieved 2018-11-27.
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