September 9th - April 5th: Sculpture Museum Special Exhibition Art and the Zoo vol.9 "Akiko Ayai's Picture Book 'The Bat' Original Illustrations Exhibition"

Updated October 30, 2025:
​The "Kichijoji Picture Book Store Tour" will be held from Saturday, November 1st to Sunday, November 30th, 2025. For more details, please click here.

Updated November 4, 2025:
On Saturday, November 8, 2025, as a special program during the evening hours, we will hold a relay talk between the sculpture garden curator and animal keeper "A Night Full of Bats! From the picture book 'The Bat' to talks and observations of their ecology." Please click here for more details.

Inokashira Park Zoo will be holding a special exhibition in Sculpture Museum as part of Art and the Zoo Vol. 9, featuring the work of picture book author Akiko Ayai. The exhibition will also feature a reproduction of Ayai's creative notebook and a talk event between animal keeper.

Period:　Tuesday, September 9, 2025 - Sunday, April 5, 2026
9:30am - 4:30pm (same as Sculpture Museum opening hours)

Location: Inokashira Park Zoo Zoo (Main Park) Sculpture Museum B

Exhibitor: Akiko Ayai
Cooperation: Kaiseisha Co., Ltd.

Related Events

Satellite Exhibition: How the picture book "The Bat" was made

A reproduction of the creative notebook for the picture book "The Bat" will be on display, and there will also be a corner introducing the diversity of bat species.

Date:　September 9th (Tuesday) – November 30th (Sunday), 2025
9:30am - 4:30pm (according to museum opening hours)
Location: Special exhibition hall in the Zoo (Main Zoo) Museum

A tour of picture book stores in Kichijoji

If you show the "Bookstore Tour Map" distributed at three locations within Inokashira Park Zoo Zoo (the bulletin board at Main Gate, the Museum Satellite Exhibition Hall, and Sculpture Museum B Original Art Exhibition Hall) at any of the three bookstores in the Kichijoji area, you will receive a postcard featuring an illustration from the picture book "The Bat" and a postcard featuring animals from Inokashira Park Zoo. Each bookstore will have a corner set up featuring picture books related to living creatures. Take this opportunity to visit your local picture book stores and enjoy discovering new picture books.

Period: Saturday, November 1st to Sunday, November 30th, 2025

Participating bookstore

Artist's comment
One of the reasons I decided to make a picture book about bats was an observation event I attended at a zoo many years ago. By a stroke of luck, I am now able to hold an exhibition of my original drawings at the zoo, and I am delighted to see this. A reproduction of my creative notebook will also be on display. I created this notebook with the same feeling as an independent study project in elementary school, inspired by the interesting, amazing, and wonderful things about bats. I am secretly excited at the thought that some children will see this and think, "I want to try doing something like that myself."

Mr. Ayai's profile
Picture book author. Born in Hokkaido. After graduating from university, he worked for a printing company before studying at Bigakko Silkscreen Studio and began creating picture books. He won the Grand Prize at the 24th Japan Picture Book Awards for "The Mole is Amazing" (supervised by Kawada Shinichiro/Alicekan). His picture books that he has written and illustrated include "When the Bear Climbs Up" (Bronze Shinsha), and picture books for which he has provided illustrations include "The Flower Seller, Senpa Chunchun" (BL Publishing), "The Evening of the Bath-Roasting Radish" (Asunaro Shobo), "Mr. Motteru Everything" (Akane Shobo), "The Donkey and the Tiger Cat: Buying Something Together" (Froebel-kan), "Bertie and the Tree" (Fukuinkan Shoten), and "A Picture Book of Wild Vegetables" (Nobunkyo).

animal keeper x Artist Bat Talk Cafe & Observation

After viewing the original art exhibition, you can enjoy tea and sweets while listening to a talk animal keeper animal keeper Mr. Ayai about bats. Finally, you will have the opportunity to observe Orii Flying Fox in the zoo.

Date and time: Saturday, September 27, 2025
17:30 - 20:00 (end time may vary)
place Zoo (Main Zoo) Sculpture Museum B and Bat House

subject High school students and above

Capacity 30 people (advance registration required)

cost free

What to bring Flashlight, comfortable walking shoes

How to Apply
Please apply using the reception form as follows:
　*There are still some seats available, so we will be holding a second round of applications.

When applying, please set your spam filter and email software to allow emails from @tokyo-zoo.net and @kintoneapp.com to be received. Please be especially careful if applying from a mobile phone. If you do not receive an automatic reply email after applying, please contact Inokashira Park Zoo Education and Promotion Section.

Please apply using this reception form.

*You will be redirected to an external site (kintoneapp.com). kintoneapp.com is a website managed and operated by Toyokumo Co., Ltd. Personal information provided by applicants in connection with this program will be securely stored on a server managed by Toyokumo Co., Ltd. and will be managed in a strict and appropriate manner, including being promptly deleted after its use for the intended purpose has ended.

[Contact Information]
Inokashira Park Zoo Education and Outreach Section
Phone: 0422-46-1100 (Main number) *Reception hours: 9:30 AM - 5:00 PM
[Deadline]Valid for submissions sent until August 31, 2025 (Sunday).
[Secondary recruitment] Valid for submissions sent until September 12, 2025 (Friday).　*Applications are now closed.

*Only one entry per group is allowed. A maximum of two people can apply per group.
Please note that any multiple applications from the same applicant will be considered invalid.
*If there are many applicants, a lottery will be held, and we will notify all applicants, regardless of whether they are selected or not, by September 15th (Sunday).
*The personal information you provide when applying will only be used for communication regarding this event.
Furthermore, we will strictly manage personal information, including data storage and deletion.

What is "Art and the Zoo"?
Inokashira Park Zoo has previously used part of Sculpture Museum to display works by various artists as special exhibitions, and will continue to implement various projects that connect art and the zoo in various ways.

◎ Past events

(August 7, 2025)
(September 3, 2025: Addition regarding second round of applications for the "Bat Talk Cafe & Observation Event")
(September 13, 2025: Addition regarding the end of the second round of applications)
(October 30, 2025: Added a mount image for "Kichijoji Picture Book Store Tour")
(November 4, 2025: Added related events for the night opening on November 8th)