In Japan where bushy tail squirrels are rare one can “get up close and personal” at the Squirrel Park (リス公園）in Machida, Tokyo. We combined a trip to the Squirrel Park with a visit to one of our favorite Japanese antique stores Kofukuan. Good parent/kid day trip from central Tokyo. Check out our favorite Japan Zoos and Aquariums here.
If your children love animals, we also recommend the following locations in the Tokyo area for kids:
Micro Pig Cafe (Harajuku, Tokyo)
Check out our other Family fun activities in Western Tokyo.
Squirrel Park, Machida Tokyo
The park is home to hundreds of squirrels that run around amongst visitors. The park has two areas – a large netted area for the squirrels and a separate area for rabbits and guinea pigs. The squirrel area is full of handmade squirrel boxes and underground nests. When you enter, you are given a quilted glove which you must wear when offering the squirrels food. Make sure to buy some sunflower seeds (100 yen per package) to feed the squirrels before entering the squirrel area. There is a feeding meter a the entry that shows if the squirrels are hungry or full. The earlier you go, the 
more ravenous the squirrels are – I would recommend buying two packs of seeds per child. The seeds are very easy to spill from the quilted gloves so best to only place 1-2 seeds on the glove per feeding.
Very popular location to spend 1-2 hours. You can also play in the public park behind the Squirrel Park which has some great climbing structures. Take a 
lunch or snacks since there are no stores in the area.
The park was opened in 1988 and is a vocational training facility for people with disabilities who help sell the tickets, sell food, hand out gloves and also care for the animals.
The park can be easily reached from central Tokyo by car (about a 50 min drive from central Tokyo with limited traffic), or can be reach by train and bus which takes about 75 mins.
Squirrel Park Details
Address: 733-1 Kanaimachi, Machida, Tokyo (東京都町田市金町町733-1)
Business Hours: Open Wed – Monday 10:00 – 16:00 (17:00 April – Sept). Closed Tuesday
Phone: 042-734-1001
Cost: Children (3 years of age or older elementary school students) 200 JPY, Adults (junior high school and above) 400 JPY
Access: Paid parking lot across from park. Train and bus – 20 min bus ride (No. 21 bus) from Odakyu Machida Station to “Yakushi Pond” stop. Taxi is about 2,000 yen from station to “Risu Koen”.
Website: http://www.machida-risuen.com/info/ (You can chose to change website to English from the top navigation.)
Squirrel Park, Machida Tokyo
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