🦊Walking with foxes|A one-day tour guide to Miyagi Zao Fox Village❄️
🏞️ Miyagi Zao Fox Village is a special attraction located in Shiroishi City, Miyagi Prefecture. This is not a zoo, but an open park where more than 100 foxes live freely. You can observe their daily life up close and even have the chance to hold a real fox! (Of course you have to follow the rules)
In this article, I will share my experience of the actual visit, including how to get there, what to pay attention to, and whether it is worth going. I will tell you all at once!
📍 How to get there?
The Fox Village is located in the mountains, and it takes about two hours to get there from downtown Sendai.
The suggested route is:
1. Take the JR Tohoku Main Line from Sendai Station to Shiroishi Station (approximately 1 hour)
2. Take a bus/taxi from Shiroishi Station to Fox Village (about 20 to 30 minutes)
If you want to save trouble, you can consider driving yourself. If you come in winter, please make sure you have snow tires or snow chains, as the mountain roads can be icy.
⚠️ The bus runs very rarely, about once an hour
🦊 What's fun in Fox Village?
The foxes here are free-range and can walk, roll, sleep, and chase each other freely in the park. They look super cute. There are more than six different species of foxes, including red fox, silver fox, Arctic fox, etc., with different fur colors, each one is very distinctive.
The park is mainly divided into two areas:
Indoor interactive area
You can experience hugging a fox for an additional fee. The staff will help you hold the fox safely so you can feel the furry happiness. The fox's fur is really soft and it feels so comfortable to hug it.
Outdoor grazing area
The highlight is here! There are lots of foxes roaming freely in this area and you can take photos and watch them interact. But remember, although the foxes here are accustomed to humans, they are still wild animals and cannot be touched, chased, or approached too closely.
🧴 Note about the park equipment
The park itself is not big and the facilities are simple, but the basics are available:
- vending machine
- bathroom
- Small vendor shop (with fox-related goods)
It is recommended to eat near Shiroishi Station before going up the mountain. There are not many restaurants near Fox Village.
🎟 Tickets and opening hours
- Admission: Adults 1,500 yen
- Hugging a fox: Approximately 600 yen, sign up on site
- Opening hours: 9am to 4pm (last admission: 3:30pm)
- Open all year round, but may be closed in winter due to snow, remember to check the official website before departure
📸 Who to recommend to?
Fox Village is great for:
- People who like taking photos of animals
- Travelers who want to experience different natural attractions
- Animal and furry lovers
- Take cute photos when traveling with couples or friends
But if you are:
- People with limited mobility (the park has ramps and some roads are slippery)
- People who are afraid of fur or animals
- People who are sensitive to smell (foxes have a bit of an animal smell)
✅ Small reminders and precautions
- Foxes may look friendly, but they are still wild animals. Please do not touch or chase them.
- It is very cold in the mountains in winter, please wear warm clothes and non-slip shoes
- Children must be accompanied by adults and keep a safe distance
🎒 Conclusion: It’s worth a visit, but please respect the living space of the foxes
Miyagi Zao Fox Village is a very special place, not only because of the cute foxes, but also because it makes people rethink the distance between humans and animals. As long as you are willing to leave early, prepare for transportation, and follow the rules, this fox trip will definitely be an unforgettable and healing memory.
If you happen to be near Sendai and like nature and animals, the Fox Village is definitely worth adding to your itinerary 🦊📷
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