The Atagawa Tropical Garden and Alligator Farm at the site of the Atagawa hot spring in Higashi Izu-Machi, Shizuoka Prefecture, has arranged its facilities gradually since it was opened in 1958. In these facilities 5400 species of tropical plants are being cultivated in hothouses totaling about 4000 m2 in 13 buildings, and 450 crocodilians of 27 species are being bred in 18 ponds. There are four hot-spring wells in this area: hot water and steam from them keep hothouses of tropical plants, crocodilian ponds, and other facilities heated and warmed during the eight months from October to May