iZoo | A Reptile-Only Zoo in Izu, Shizuoka — Giant Crocodiles and Tortoises Everywhere

By Nihongo to Japan · Updated June 11, 2026

iZoo in Kawazu, Izu Peninsula is Japan's first reptile-only immersive zoo. The entrance posters say it plainly: lions, giraffes, penguins, dolphins — none of them are here. What is here: a massive crocodile, a room packed with Aldabra giant tortoises, and a corridor where you walk alongside free-roaming turtles. Not many people know about this place, but it's genuinely worth the detour.

[What is iZoo]

Before you even enter iZoo, there are two posters on the wall near the entrance. Each shows photos of lions, giraffes, penguins, and dolphins — each one crossed out in red with the word いません (not here). Below, in large text: 爬虫類しかいません — only reptiles.

iZoo is Japan's first reptile-only immersive zoo, located in Kawazu-cho on the Izu Peninsula in Shizuoka Prefecture. It keeps over 300 species of reptiles — snakes, lizards, iguanas, turtles, tortoises, and crocodiles — with no mammals. There's nothing else like it in Japan.

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[The giant crocodile]

iZoo has several crocodile enclosures. Outside, a fenced area holds a very large crocodile lying directly facing you. At that distance, its head is about the size of a carry-on suitcase. The teeth are visible. The skin is thick, raised scales. It doesn't move — and because it doesn't move, you can't quite tell if it's watching you.

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Inside, a separate pool area holds two large crocodiles at the water's edge. The artificial lighting lets you take in the full length of each animal — in here the scale registers more directly than it does outdoors.

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[The tortoise room]

This is the most striking part of iZoo. A large indoor room with giant tortoises spread across the entire floor — densely enough that you watch your step to avoid them. These are Aldabra giant tortoises, and iZoo reportedly holds the largest collection in Japan. Each shell is over 50 centimeters across. Standing among them, the scale is hard to process.

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Further in is a corridor where tortoises also roam freely alongside visitors. The boundary between visitor path and tortoise path is intentionally unclear — the animals move through the same space. A sign warns they can bite. It's not a formality.

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[Snakes and iguanas]

Most snakes are in indoor glass enclosures. One that stands out is a bright green tree snake — slender, coiled around branches, easy to mistake for part of the plant. The color is very saturated against the wooden background.

Iguanas have several areas. Some are in sand-floored enclosures; others are draped over a wooden door frame in a semi-outdoor structure with no visible barrier, completely indifferent to people walking past.

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[The long-necked turtle]

Among the aquatic exhibits, there's a snake-necked turtle with a head and neck disproportionately large relative to its shell. It extends its neck out to swim, and up close the face has an almost pig-like quality. It's one of the most visually unusual animals in the whole zoo — the kind of thing that takes a moment to mentally place.

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[The unexpected emus]

iZoo has a section with emus. Emus are not reptiles, so their presence is slightly at odds with the whole concept — but there they are, two of them stretching their necks over the fence toward you, orange-red eyes very prominent. Whatever the reason they're there, their expressions are worth the look.

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[Before You Go]

・Address: 406-2 Hama, Kawazu-cho, Kamo-gun, Shizuoka

・Access: Shinkansen to Atami → Izu Kyuko Line to Kawazu Station, then 5-min taxi; or JR Limited Express "Odoriko" from Tokyo direct to Kawazu, approx. 2.5 hours

・Admission: Adults ¥2,500 / Elementary school ¥1,500 / Preschool free

・Hours: 9:00–17:00 (last entry 16:30), open year-round

・Nearby: Kawazu Seven Waterfalls trail, Izu Kogen, Shimoda

・Check [Klook](https://klook.tpx.lv/IuSKdjjt) or [KKday](https://kkday.tpx.lv/juFfN7dI) for Izu day trip options