Second post from my trip to Japan!
Zao fox Village! This was my No.1 destination I wished to see as I adore foxes, and it was amazing!
I was curious to see if it was as I have read from various sources (the good and the bad). My over all impression was good, and while there were definitely things I wasn’t extremely happy to see. It was overall a great experience!
The free roaming foxes were kept in a large fenced area, which had many winding paths and places for them to rest away from people off path. It was a beautiful area. And even though it was freezing cold, rainy and windy, the foxes seemed happy to roam about. I was stalked the entire time by a fox who I dubbed “smiley” (6th pic down).
There was a platform for feeding them, and while I did witness scuffles (I am surprised there were not more considering foxes are not naturally used to being in large groups like this…) They were in rather good health!
There were individuals kept in small wire cages. Some were kept in larger ones in groups, and we were told that they were the young ones not socialised enough to be free roaming yet. The second lot were in individual cages not unlike those used in fur farms, and this is what ive read about people being unhappy to see on-line. But my friend who spoke and read Japanese informed me the signs said it was a holding area for the wounded and sick. So hopefully their stays in the cages were not extended.
At the entrance were two tethered foxes with dog houses, who were “tame”. You could ask to pet these, and if the keeper decided the foxes were in the mood, only then could do so while being supervised.
If you love these fluffy critters, and don’t mind a bit of a trip to the village (I do suggest really researching when the shuttle arrives. As Taxi can be extremely expensive!) I highly suggest visiting!
I will be posting 3 batches of photos from here, as I literally took hundreds and narrowed them down to 30 I wanted to share XD