All prefectures and wards in Japan have a “Residents Day”.
Wards (similar to U.S. counties) normally have a festival for their Residents Day … and prefectures (similar to U.S. states) usually give kids the day off from school and that prefecture’s zoos and museums offer free admission.
Today (October 1st) is 都民の日 (Tokyo Residents Day).
Normally zoos and museums in Japan are closed on Mondays.
Today is a Monday, but Tokyo’s two government-owned zoos (Ueno Zoo and Tama Zoo) are open today and admission is free.
The zoos in Japan always on Mondays if it’s a holiday (though free only on a few days a year)…but they close the day after the holiday — so Tokyo’s zoos will be closed tomorrow (October 2nd).
A typhoon hit the Tokyo area yesterday but the weather is nice today, so the zoos are sure to be crowded today.
So if you’re in Tokyo now, and you don’t mind a crowd, you can go to one of Tokyo’s zoos for free today (I recommend Tama Zoo but it’s not as conveniently located as Ueno Zoo).
Just don’t plan to go to a zoo or museum in Tokyo tomorrow … they’ll be closed (the ones in the neighboring prefectures are closed today but will be open tomorrow … as usual).
Tokyo Five 
That’s very cool that your government offers admission to the zoo(s) for free on this day. I don’t think too many places here in the U.S. know what “free admission” means anymore, especially for kids.
I’m sorry that a typhoon hit Tokyo… I hope not too many people suffered, your country has endured enough of mother nature’s wrath.
Rock Steady, Metal Buddy! \m/\m/
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Luckily, there were no reported deaths or serious damage from this typhoon.
What is the admission price for zoos in America?
There are no residents festivals in America, are there?
In Japan, the residents festivals have booths where you can get free food made with vegetables grown by local farmers and you can buy some of their produce … local merchants, carpenters, artists, etc teach their craft to children and let them keep what they make for free … the fire department gives safety info … there’s a stage where local teenagers sometimes play a show with their bands (one of daughters did with her band)… sometimes they have flea markets, log rolling shows, etc
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Prices vary depending on the size of the zoo. Same with aquariums.
We had neighborhood block parties in Connecticut… where streets were closed off and vendors & bands set up for a good time. 🙂
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Sounds like it might be similar to the many festivals that are held in Japan.
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