Zoos & aquariums
Sapporo Maruyama Zoo
What it is
Sapporo Maruyama Zoo is a municipal zoo in Chūō-ku that opened in 1951. It's a working city zoo rather than a large-scale attraction, with a mix of indoor and outdoor enclosures housing animals adapted to Hokkaido's climate, including polar bears and other cold-weather species that are active even in winter, when many zoos elsewhere keep animals indoors. The zoo sits within Maruyama Park, so the visit blends easily with a walk through forested park grounds.
Getting there
From central Sapporo (Odori/Sapporo Station area), the zoo is reachable by subway on the Tozai Line to Maruyama-koen Station, followed by a short bus ride or a roughly 20-25 minute walk uphill through the park. A direct bus also runs from the subway station to the zoo entrance in about 10 minutes. Door to door from the city centre, allow around 30-40 minutes.
How much time to allow
Most visitors spend two to three hours inside, longer if you want to see both the indoor and outdoor sections at an unhurried pace or catch several feeding times.
When to go
Weekday mornings tend to be quieter than weekends and holidays. Winter is worth considering here specifically, since the zoo is one of the few times cold-climate animals like polar bears are visibly active outdoors; summer visits are more comfortable for walking but some animals may be less active in the heat.
Combine it with
The zoo is inside Maruyama Park (0.2km), so a walk through the park's forest paths pairs naturally with the visit. Hokkaidō Jingū shrine is just 0.3km away and can be reached on foot within the same outing. For art, the Miyanomori International Museum of Art (0.8km) and the Hongō Shin Memorial Museum of Sculpture (1km) are both within easy walking distance and suit a half-day itinerary combining nature, culture, and animals in this part of Sapporo.
Updated September 20, 2026 · Edited by the World by City editors
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