The 22nd is the winter solstice.
Presents of pumpkins and yuzu were given to the animals at the Kumamoto City Zoo and Botanical Gardens.
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This event is held every year by the Kumamoto City Zoo and Botanical Gardens, and on the 22nd, two large pumpkins were presented to African elephants Marie and Eri from a local nursery school.
As the 76 kindergarten children who participated in the event watched, the two stomped the pumpkins with their feet, then used their long noses to carry them to their mouths and ate them vigorously.
The children who saw the situation said, "I was surprised to see you split the pumpkin with your feet," and "It was fun."
Momoko and Sora the hippos were presented with about 100 yuzu citrus fruits from the zoo and botanical gardens, and enjoyed the hot yuzu pool.
Nahoko Mizobata, a veterinarian at the Kumamoto City Zoo and Botanical Gardens, said, "The animals seemed very happy to receive food that was different from the usual. The children were also very happy to see the animals enthusiastically eating. It was good," he said.