Hanako
Asian elephant (Elephas maximus) at
Inokashira Park Zoo in Japan

Biography

☨ ♀ Hanako
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Identification

JAZA nr nr	22

Description
Species:	Asian elephant (Elephas maximus)
Sex and age:	Female ♀ 69 years old

People killed:	2
Origin
Born:	* 1947 wild
Birth place:	in Asia unspecified location
Death
Dead:	†2016-05-26
Death reason:	euthanised: collapsed, couldnt stand up
Locations - owners
Present / last location:	Inokashira Park Zoo, in Japan

Date of arrival

1954-03-05	Inokashira Park Zoo from Ueno Zoo

1950-00-00	Ueno Zoo from Japan Travelling Zoo

1949-00-00	Japan Travelling Zoo from Ueno Zoo

Record history
History of updates	2010-05-18: ½arrival date 2011-09-21: Management, Mankiller, Text RE 2012-11-25: jaza nr 2016-05-28: dead 2017-03-06: news links 2025-04-01: birth location

Latest document update	2025-04-01 05:49:04

† Hanako is a dead Female ♀ Asian elephant (Elephas maximus), , who died 2016-05-26 at Inokashira Park Zoo, in Japan, . Official death reason described as collapsed, couldnt stand up.

Casualties

2 casualties

1956-06-13: visitor Chuhi Igosawa fatal attack by Hanako. Officials surmised that the man climbed into the compound after the zoo closed, "to have some fun". The animal apparently trampled her tormentor, then stripped of his clothes with her trunk. † Chuhi Igosawa Died 1956-06-13, Inokashira Park Zoo, Mitaka city, Tokyo. The nude and battered body of the teaser, 45 year old Chuhi Igosawa, was found today in a ditch inside the young elephants compound.
1960-04: elephant keeper Masaki Saito fatal accident by Hanako. Hanako's keeper, 53 year old Masaki Saito, was caught in her chains and she accidentally trampled him to death. † Masaki Saito Died 1960-04, Inokashira Park Zoo, Mitaka city, Tokyo.

Origin

Hanako was born wild 1947 at Asia unspecified location.

Comments / pictures

Hanako was believed to be the oldest Asian elephant in Japan.

She was the first elephant imported to Japan following World War II. In 1956, she killed a drunk visitor who entered her enclosure. Four years later she killed a keeper. She was transitioned to Protected Contact in September 2011 following a string of aggressive behaviors towards keepers in a five year period.

Hanako on elephant-news.com

Hanako is mentioned on Elephant News:

Articles where Hanako is mentioned on elephant-news.com
Date	Links which opens in new window

Reference list

References

Koehl, Dan, (2026). Hanako, Asian elephant (Elephas maximus) located at Inokashira Park Zoo in Japan. Elephant Encyclopedia, available online retrieved 13 January 2026 at https://www.elephant.se/database2.php?elephant_id=4962. (archived at the Wayback machine)