Enjoy a day of nature and animal encounters with the whole family at World Ranch in Kawanami Town.

Kanan Town is about a 40-minute drive from Tennoji Station. The Ikoma-Kongo mountain range and the mountainous area around the Katsuragi mountain range and Mt. Iwawaki to the south are designated as the Kongo-Ikoma-Kisen Quasi-National Park, making it a town rich in nature and culture, blessed with both nature and history. One of the facilities that makes use of this rich natural environment and local resources is the popular Western-style leisure spot "World Ranch," which can be enjoyed by parents and children.

This time, NORI and ICHINA, who are extremely popular for their coordinated parent-child outfits, will be experiencing World Ranch, a place where you can enjoy extraordinary nature experiences and educational programs despite being located near the city!

World Ranch, where about 100 kinds of animals live on the hill

World Ranch opened in 1989 with the concept of promoting emotional interaction between people, nature, and animals. It is home to around 1,000 animals from 100 different species, including horses, cows, goats, sheep, mini pigs, capybaras, maras, ferrets, flamingos, and owls. Originally, the terrain was very hilly, taking advantage of the shape of the mountains, but in 2016 it was renovated and reborn as a flat site that is easy to walk around on.

At World Ranch, you can experience interacting with a variety of animals, such as horse draft (leading a horse by pulling the reins), milking cows, walking with ponies, goats, rabbits, and other animals, and even feeding them.In addition, there are plenty of facilities to keep you entertained all day, including a barbecue where you don't have to bring anything with you, and natural hot springs.

Check-in is a chance to interact with goats and sheep

First, we went to the petting pasture where there were goats and sheep.

The sheep were munching on the grass with gusto. In fact, each sheep has a name. They were born on New Year's Day, so they were named Gen, Hope, Pattan-o, and Bito... Their unique names were given to them by the staff. They are posted in front of the pasture, so be sure to check them out.

The goats are very friendly. When they spotted ICHINA and NORI, they gathered close by, groaning. At first, ICHINA was shocked, saying, "They're going to eat me! Help me, Daddy!" But NORI watched over them with kindness, saying, "It's okay, go ahead and touch them. They're warm."

ICHINA timidly touched the goat and was impressed, saying, "It's warm and the fur is soft." After a while, the goat called out, "Come here, Mr. Goat!" and they started playing tag together.

Newly opened! "Interacting with Mini Pigs"

The mini pig petting corner opened on August 11, 2022. You can interact with friendly mini pig babies.

This is a baby mini pig born in July of this year. He is very curious about people and will come up to you. Please pet him gently. We also sell piglets to those who want to raise them at home.

"Daddy, touch me first," said ICHINA. "It's really prickly. It's a little rough," said NORI. With ICHINA's favorite, Bibi (a 2-year-old male).

See, touch and take photos at the Raptor Interaction Center

At the Raptor Interaction Center, you can interact with a variety of birds of prey, including barn owls, sooty barn owls, Harris's hawks, little Indian owls, African eagle owls, Turkmenistan eagle owls, greater eastern owls, American kestrels, etc. Depending on the individual bird, you may be able to take photos with it resting on your hand, shoulder, or head.

The owls were so motionless that for a moment I wondered if they were just ornaments. By the way, how do they get their names? "The staff decides the names. Sometimes we don't know the gender, so we often give them gender-neutral names like 'Hinata' (sunny) or 'Shuu' (柊)," said a staff member.

Both of them were captivated by the owl's beautiful eyes, which were staring straight at them.

ICHINA's dream come true: meeting the rabbit

The Small Animal Interactive Center is home to a variety of animals, from mini rabbits and guinea pigs to tortoises and Continental Giant rabbits, the world's largest species.

On this day, there was something ICHINA had been looking forward to for a long time: holding a rabbit!

There are rabbits, guinea pigs, ferrets...all kinds of animals here.

ICHINA's wish came true when she was able to have a rabbit sit on her lap. "It's so warm on my lap!"

Interact with horses. Feed and ride horses

World Ranch is home to a rare horse: Blanc, a Percheron, one of the world's largest horses, used in Hokkaido's Ban'ei horse racing. Before riding, you can get familiar with the horse by feeding it.

The Percheron is really big, with its face taking up the entire length of ICHINA's body. At first I was surprised by its imposing appearance, but upon closer inspection I could see that it has gentle eyes. It is gentle, quiet, friendly, and adorable.

Once you've become friendly with the horses, it's time for your horseback riding experience! You'll ride around the course on the back of a pedigreed "quarter horse," a riding horse ridden by American cowboys. As we were getting ready, a staff member told us, "The name "quarter horse" comes from the fact that they were used in quarter-mile (one-fourth of a mile, about 400m) races in America. Over short distances, these horses have explosive power that rivals that of a racehorse. Despite this, they're known to be quite docile."

After having fun, fill your stomach with BBQ!

For lunch, head to Food Court Milky, where you can enjoy a BBQ on the terrace. Eating outside is the best.

The food court next to the pasture has terrace seating, perfect for families and large groups.

Here you can enjoy fresh Kuroge Wagyu beef BBQ. You can enjoy the tender texture and refined sweetness of the meat. You can't help but call out "meat, meat!"

Barbecues are available all year round, and you can also enjoy indoor barbecues at Cafe Restaurant Sakura.

Buy souvenirs to take home, from cookies to stuffed toys!

The last place you should stop by is the souvenir corner, which is packed with original goods.

Stay in a cottage. Accommodation

World Village offers a variety of accommodations, large and small, including five Canadian log houses and a lodge that can accommodate up to 25 people. There is also a natural hot spring called Ichinoyu, which you can enjoy.

This is the interior of the Canadian Log House. Pets are welcome. At night, you can enjoy a panoramic view of the Osaka Plain.

Admission to World Ranch is free for guests staying at the hotel! Why not spend some time interacting with the animals at World Ranch before check-in or after check-out on the day of your stay?

Interact with animals and deepen the bond between parents and children

What did you think of "World Ranch"? Interacting with animals increases the secretion of brain chemicals that make us feel happy, such as "dopamine" and "oxytocin," and also activates the parasympathetic nervous system, leading to a state of calm, healing, and relaxation. Also known as "animal therapy," it is said to have a variety of positive effects on the mind and body, such as relieving stress and relaxing, as well as stimulating motivation to act, enriching emotional expression, and supporting recovery from illness.
Furthermore, interacting with animals and sharing delicious meals together can also deepen relationships between people. If you're thinking of having a pet at home in the future, why not start by interacting with the animals at World Farm?