Izu Shaboten Zoo will hold “The Original Capybara Open-Air Bath” from 21 November 2026 to 4 April 2027. The bath will be offered once daily from 13:30 on weekdays and twice daily, at 10:30 and 13:30, on weekends, public holidays and during periods such as the winter vacation. On the opening day, a special presentation will feature “a demon yuzu bath with large yuzu floating in the water.”
From Saturday, 21 November 2026 to Sunday, 4 April 2027, Izu Shaboten Zoo will hold “The Original Capybara Open-Air Bath,” where capybaras relax in an open-air bath within the park. The bath will be offered once daily on weekdays and twice daily on weekends, public holidays and during the winter and spring vacation periods.
On the opening day, the bath will open at 10:30 and 13:30. To mark the launch, fresh grass will be used in a gesture in place of a ribbon-cutting ceremony, followed by seasonal specialty baths. In addition to the yuzu bath, the line-up will include specially themed baths featuring maple leaves, apples and vegetables.
The event began in 1982 and will reach its 44th year this season. The capybara yuzu bath, which marks its 30th anniversary, has continued as an annual winter-solstice tradition. Together with the 60th anniversary of the start of capybara keeping, the event forms part of the zoo’s anniversary year.
The 15th Capybara Long Bathing Contest, a collaboration among 5 zoos and parks, is scheduled for early January 2027. In the previous contest, “Puruun” from Nagasaki Bio Park won, while capybaras from Izu Shaboten Zoo also placed among the top finishers.