愛媛縣立砥部動物園

The Ehime Prefectural Tobe Zoo is one of the larger zoos in western Japan, located in the town of Tobe just south of Matsuyama. It opened in 1988 and arranges its enclosures along the natural slopes of a hillside park, grouping animals by region and habitat. The collection includes African animals such as elephants and giraffes, as well as big cats, bears, and a range of birds and reptiles. The zoo is open from 9:00 to 17:00 and is closed on Mondays and around the New Year holidays. It is reached by bus from Matsuyama-shi Station, getting off at the Tobe Dobutsuen-mae stop, or by car in about 20 minutes from central Matsuyama. A large paid parking lot is available on site.