Tokyo Swan 19: Shin Kawasaki Zoo

When I had arrived in Japan, did I ever think there would be penguins in my backyard? After a few months of living in the quiet area of Shin Kawasaki, I noticed a path that led up a very large hill that was just five minutes down the road from my dorm. I eventually ventured up the hill with a friend only to find a free local zoo!

Imagine my surprise to see zebra, penguins, goats, deer, monkeys, and all sorts of birds and smaller animals! It was really an eyebrow raising experience to find so many different animals so close to where I had been living. I had walked past the hill where the zoo was on so many times just to get to the train station, so it really was a shocker when I did go up the hill and found the zoo.

This is a pretty laid back episode, but it's nice to just focus on the interesting local surroundings, since who knows, perhaps other study abroad students will also have the pleasure of discovering such great local environments to spend their time in.