Introducing Minamiaso Fureai Zoo Fairy Tale

Hello travelers! This is Aikero, a writer for Sarukuma.

Today I’m taking you to a charming little spot tucked away in the mountains of Takamori Town, Aso District:
【Minamiaso Fureai Zoo Fairy Tale】.
This small petting zoo is hidden in the mountains of Takamori Town.
It may be tiny, but the experience is huge!
If you love getting up-close-and-personal with animals, this place is for you ♪
Part of the zoo is covered, so it’s a great rainy-day option too (^^)/
The zoo sits up the hill from the intersection between Direx Takamori and Drug Store Cosmos Takamori.
We took the road that climbs up past 〈Sesame Cafe〉 just before that intersection.
It’s a mountain road, so we strongly recommend using GPS navigation.

【Sesame Cafe — Minamiaso Village, Aso District】A newly opened charity cafe supporting injured animals!

Follow the signposted road up the slope and you’ll reach the parking area.
The road is narrow and two cars can’t easily pass each other, so keep an eye out for oncoming traffic.
Once you climb the slope, you’ll find parking lots on both the left and right.
We visited on a weekend, but rain was forecast, so it wasn’t too crowded.
Here’s the second parking lot.
Check in at this building.
A staff member will come out to greet you right away.

〈Fairy Tale Admission〉
・600 yen per person (ages 3 and up)

Children in 3rd grade of elementary school or younger must be accompanied by a guardian.
“Is this your first visit?” the staff asked, then handed me this card.
It’s a visitor stamp card!
Collect 5 stamps and your next admission is free!
And there’s no expiration date!!
This kind of loyalty perk is rare at animal facilities, but trust us — one visit and you’ll be hooked, so this offer is amazing.
The reception building also sells various souvenirs and goods!
A perfect way to remember your day out ♪
They also sell drinks and ice cream!
I sadly missed out this time, but I’ve heard their Hokey Pokey ice cream (a popular New Zealand-style flavor) is delicious…
Definitely trying it next time!
Restrooms are inside the facility, just past the reception desk.

Highlights of Minamiaso Fureai Zoo Fairy Tale

First, you’ll need to disinfect the soles of your shoes.
A staff member will guide you through it — be sure to disinfect before entering.
The first animals to greet you are these lively goats!
“You can grab some grass from around here and feed them,” said the staff — so we got right to it.
Kids love feeding animals, and mine were thrilled from the very first moment.
Across from the goats, rabbits sit cozily in their cages.
There are also animals inside a covered building.
Even on rainy days, you can interact with the animals indoors.

While there’s a roof, most of the zoo is essentially outdoors, so don’t forget a jacket in winter.
In summer, expect heat — make sure to stay hydrated and watch your kids closely as you enjoy the animals.
The tiny peeps and the bunched-up baby chicks huddling together are unbearably cute!!
You can even hold them!
The staff will show you how to gently hold the chicks, so just cup them softly in your hands.
They also handed us a little cup of feed, saying “You can give them this too ♪”.
The chicks happily pecked away!
You hold them gently with both hands, but my daughter was so nervous she could barely touch one.
It’s true — holding a chick isn’t an experience you get every day!
That’s exactly what makes a place like this so special ♪
And there are still many more animals to meet!
Fluffy sheep,
and more goats over here too!
When it comes to petting zoos, guinea pigs are a must!
You can even let them sit on your lap.
Always speak to a staff member first — don’t pick the animals up yourself; let the staff place them on your lap for safety.
Carrots are sold for 100 yen per cup, and you can feed them to guinea pigs, rabbits, goats and other animals.
Most petting zoos don’t let you hold rabbits, but here we got to have one on our lap!
Soft, fluffy, and totally captivating — my son was absolutely smitten.
Feeling the warmth and the gentle breath of these animals is the kind of sensory experience that can really light up a child’s imagination.
Friendly dogs are here too!
My kids love animals but got a little shy and quickly headed out, haha.
This particular dog is the calmest of the bunch and let us pet him for ages — pure healing therapy ヾ(・ω・*)
Outside, there’s even a parrot!
“He talks sometimes,” the staff told us, so my daughter called out, “Hey!” and “Hello!”.
After a long pause… “Heeey!” came the reply!
Definitely give it a try yourself (^^)/
There are also flamingos and ducks out in the open area.
And we didn’t go inside their enclosure — the moment we stepped out of the covered building, they were right there in front of us!
Standing tall on a single slim leg, this flamingo seemed to be napping in pure bliss.
The staff may mention this too, but the flamingos here are quite elderly.
Don’t touch them or get too close — keep a respectful distance and watch over them gently.
After the flamingos, head out to the open-air enclosure.
This is a shared area with pigs, goats, deer, llamas, and rabbits — and there are 3 important rules:

① No running inside
② Don’t touch their mouths
③ Hide your carrots and only feed them in the rabbit area

The staff will explain too, but parents should also remind their kids and supervise carefully.
Here’s a slightly larger llama.
“They sometimes spit, and it can smell — please be careful,” the staff warned us, haha.
A tortoise was strolling around with confidence.
It was the kids’ first time seeing a tortoise this big, so they were a little startled.
A staff member handed me a back-scratcher (a “magonote”) and said, “Give them a little scratch.”
I gently scratched the resting animal, and I could feel the texture of its fur even through the scratcher.
It looked so blissful.
Beyond another door, you’ll find tons of rabbits!
Carrots are also sold here for 100 yen per cup.
My son was completely absorbed in feeding them again.
Rabbits are gentle enough that even toddlers can feed them without fear.
But the goats spotted our carrots and demanded their share.
We even got to witness a face-off between a deer and a goat!
The up-close action made it surprisingly thrilling.
Next to the flamingo area, you’ll meet Pochi-kun, the resident horse.
You can feed Pochi too.
There are longer-cut carrots on offer (better suited for horses than the rabbit/goat ones), so you can buy a cup for 100 yen and feed him.
He’s a hearty eater, which my son found a bit intimidating (^_^;)
On our way out, my daughter gave the chick-holding another shot.
With help from the staff, she finally managed to hold one ♪
A handwashing station with soap is located just outside the reception building.
Crows tend to eat the soap, so please remember to close the lid after use!
The zoo is small in size, but you really can spend quality time meeting many different animals all in one visit ♪
The animals here are calm and gentle, making it a great pick for young children.
And the staff are wonderfully kind.
It really is true — animal lovers are the best kind of people!
A perfect spot for the whole family to enjoy together!
If you’re craving the kind of healing only animals can offer, do pay this place a visit ♪

【Sesame Cafe — Minamiaso Village, Aso District】A newly opened charity cafe supporting injured animals!

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Frequently Asked Questions

※Information is current as of the time of reporting. Prices and opening hours are subject to change. Please check before visiting.