Blog - Machida risu en
Machida risu en
Today we went to 町田リス園 (Machida risu en, or "Machida Squirrel Garden" as a handwritten sign said). I had first learnt about that place sometime last year I think, when I was waiting for service at the post office and there was a video playing about some unknown attractions in Tokyo.
I was a bit curious about that place since then, and today we ended up making a small trip to Machida (a city in the south of the western part of Tokyo) to check it out.
The place was quite small and divided into two main areas, one with animals in cages or inside of fences, and the other which is an open garden space with supposedly hundred of squirrels living in piles of logs and small wooden houses.
The garden area was of course what seemed to be the most fun, however it seems like we didn't pick the best time to go there, because the squirrels were already full from being fed by visitors and therefore most were taking a nap where we couldn't see them. I was able to see maybe about a dozen running around.
The area with cages had squirrels from a few places in the world, and also rabbits, prairie dogs, marmots and turtles. You could buy food to feed most of the animals, but some cages, notably ones holding really fat prairie dogs, had signs saying they're on a diet so to not feed them. :)
So here are some pictures...
Prairie dogs, a fat one not letting anyone near the food, and a desperate one trying to escape by eating the cage
Turtle keeping all of that pumpkin to itself, European red squirrels, marmots
Garden area
Last but not least, this big turtle was walking around with a message on its back saying not to touch it.
Click the thumbnails to view larger images.
Posted on June 6, 2004 at 01:28 | Tweet
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