Japan's bizarre zoo featuring a 'human dog' likely to shut down

Remember Toco, 'the human collie,' who had spent over $16,000 on a dog costume to live like a canine? After fulfilling his childhood dream of 'becoming an animal,' the Japanese man even opened a zoo called TokoToko in Tokyo, which allowed people to wear hyperrealistic animal costumes and experience living like them. However, just months after its opening in January 2025, the guy now plans on closing it all at once because the zoo is apparently struggling to attract visitors. In a shocking post (@tokotokozoo on Twitter), the officials shared that they haven't received any bookings, and if the situation continues, they will close the zoo forever.

The original Twitter post, written in Japanese, revealed that if the zoo doesn't get any reservations by April 19, 2025, then they would "cancel operation." Further, the officials wrote, "If you're considering joining, please make a reservation!" Although after this particular announcement, the zoo officials haven't clarified whether they have really ceased their operations, they have been continuously posting on their social media accounts. Notably, in a follow-up post, the zoo officials revealed that they would be closed on May 4, 2024, hinting that they are still open, at least until early May.

As per a report in IOL, TokoToko initially gained a lot of popularity, with people seemingly excited about a new, one-of-a-kind experience. However, with time, the rage began falling off among people for unknown reasons. Interestingly, Toco, the human dog, enjoys a massive fan following with over 70k followers on YouTube, where the Japanese man keeps sharing adorable videos of himself going for walks, interacting with people, and performing stunts — basically everything we generally see dogs doing. According to a report by the New York Post, Toco opened the zoo where people could spend $300 to don a life-size Alaskan Malamute costume to experience the joy of living like a four-legged baby that everyone adores. Moreover, the report stated that at present, the TokoToko Zoo only accepts cash, which lasts for only 180 minutes. 

Meanwhile, while talking to Mirror, Toco revealed that becoming an animal was something he had wanted for a very long time. "Since childhood, I have had this nonspecific fantasy of becoming an animal. I wonder whether it was a desire for transformation," he said. Interestingly, his expensive, realistic dog costume was purchased from Zeppet, a popular Japanese agency known to create sculptures and models for movies. Toco had always been fascinated by border collies; that's why he asked Zeppet to make him a costume resembling his favorite breed.

The Japanese agency, as per several reports, spent 40 days crafting the costume, with Toco continuously requesting changes to ensure it was just right. Making the perfect dog costume wasn't easy, as Zeppet had to study the skeletal structure of a canine extensively to create the design. An employee told the New York Post, "In addition, we collect photographs taken from various angles so that the beautiful coat of the collie can be reproduced and devised so that the coat will flow naturally." 

You can check the zoo's closing announcement of the zoo here!

You can follow TokoTokoZoo (@tokotokozoo) on Twitter for more updates.