Squirrels can harbor pathogens (such as salmonella) that may be harmful to people, but transmission has rarely, if ever, been documented. However, there are also squirrel gardens located across Japan. And although rabies can occur in squirrels, as in any mammal, there is no documented case of any person getting rabies from a squirrel. As an avid squirrel lover for my entire life this was definitely a dream come true. In a city full of dubious animal cafes and cramped zoos, the Machida Squirrel Park in Tokyo is an animal experience you can happily participate in, knowing the squirrels are well cared for in a huge enclosure full of hiding spaces and no forced participation. The squirrels are so cute and quite friendly. The Japanese squirrel (Sciurus lis) is a tree squirrel in the genus Sciurus endemic to Japan. Wow this was such an amazing experience. Can't wait until I can … Get up close to some of Tokyo’s cutest locals. Machida Squirrel Garden: Un-fur-gettable Fun for the Price of an Acorn. If you have kids or are an animal lover yourself, you can easily spend an hour or two feeding the squirrels and watching them play. Perhaps the most famous squirrel garden is Machida Risu-en in Tokyo's, well, Machida, which has something like 200 squirrels roaming about in the main plaza and has been around since 1988. The rock squirrel (Spermophilus variegatus) is the largest of the three, up to 1.5 pounds. There are three common squirrels in the Arizona-Sonoran Desert: the rock squirrel, the round-tailed ground squirrel, and Harris’ antelope ground squirrel. It resembles eastern tree… I highly recommend making your way to Machida Squirrel Garden if you're in the area. There are also a few red squirrels, big and small tortoises, rabbits, groundhogs, guinea pigs, parrots, snakes, salamanders, and turtles. Look around you in Tokyo, and it’s easy to see that people are nuts about animals. The Japanese squirrel's range includes the islands of Honshū, Shikoku, and Kyūshū. Machida Squirrel Garden is an outdoor enclosure tucked away in the quiet residential neighborhood of Machida, about half an hour south of Shinjuku by train. Whether struttin’ around in strollers, or being primped and preened in salons, domesticated animals lead a particularly spoiled life. Recently, populations on south-western Honshū and Shikoku decreased, and those on Kyūshū disappeared. I happen to have all three in my yard, although Harris’ is just a visitor.