Located in Chikusa-ku in Nagoya, the Higashiyama Zoo and Botanical Gardens was established in 1937. Occupying a vast area of 60 hectares, the site is a combination of a zoo, botanical garden, an amusement park and the Higashiyama Sky Tower. Featuring an impressive collection of around 7500 species of flora and fauna, the zoo houses the endangered Persian leopard and the Mackenzie Valley wolf. For the curious, head for the Worldwide Medaka Hall which features the Medaka (Japanese killifish) which once went on a space shuttle with a Japanese astronaut.

Plant lovers will find delight in the themed gardens such as the Ume, Cherry Blossom and Camellia Gardens. In addition, do not miss out on the fairy-tale-like Gassho-Zukuri style house, which was brought here by the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Shirakawa-go in Gifu. For kids, there is also a mini amusement park, which features a special swan boat ride - a nice and fun-filled reprieve from visiting the animals. Another highlight is to ascend the Higashiyama Sky Tower which will reward visitors with a panoramic view of Nagoya city.