History
Dōshokubutsuen-iriguchi opened on 1 April 1969 as Dōbutsuen-mae Station ("Zoo Front") on the Kumamoto City Tram Kenkun Line. The Kumamoto Zoo was joined by a botanical garden, and on 1 April 1992 the stop was renamed Dōshokubutsuen-mae ("Zoo and Botanical Gardens Front"). On 1 March 2011 it took its current name, Dōshokubutsuen-iriguchi ("Zoo and Botanical Gardens Entrance"), reflecting that the gardens themselves are about 600 metres away across Shōguchi Park. It is stop number 24 on the Kenkun Line. On 1 January 2026 a stationary tram developed smoke from its operator cab while at the platform; no injuries were reported.
History summarized from Japanese & English Wikipedia · last reviewed 2026-05-25.