One of the most important things to the Japanese culture and economy is the ocean. As a nation made up of four islands, Japan has always had a close relationship to sea life. You can find fish and other ocean life imagery all through Japan.
Seafood is found pretty much everywhere in the country and has been a key staple of the diet since its earliest days. As fishing is such a huge industry, not only have people in Japan eaten many fish and other sea animals, but they have also learned to live alongside them. Because of this, Japan is home to many excellent aquariums.
These aquariums are often high-tech and many feature local sea life as well as animals from far away oceans and rivers. If you’d like to get up close and personal with this important part of Japanese life and culture, here are the best aquariums in Japan.
1. Osaka Aquarium Kaiyukan, Osaka
This aquarium showcases sea life from all around the world. It is eight stories tall. Visitors start their journey by taking an escalator to the top and work their way down through the many exhibits found in this colorful building.
The nine-meter-deep main tank is the centerpiece of the aquarium and is home to huge whale sharks, where they swim alongside other Pacific Ocean wildlife like hammerhead sharks and many smaller fish.
On the fourth floor, you can see ringed seals frolicking in an icy habitat, while elsewhere you can learn about and meet some of the river animals of Japan. The aquarium has been designed to allow visitors to have as many up-close encounters with animals as possible.
A special highlight is the rock-hopper penguins. Be sure to set aside several hours for a visit. Tickets vary by visitor age, with adult admission costing 2300 yen, while senior and child tickets are cheaper.
You can get there by walking five minutes from exit 1 of Osakako Station on the Osaka Metro Chuo Line or taking the Captain Line rapid ferry from Universal Studios.
2. Okinawa Churaumi Aquarium, Okinawa
Famous worldwide for images of its huge main tank with whale sharks, this aquarium has a focus on Okinawa’s local marine life.
Visitors enter the top floor where they can view and touch starfish and seashells in a touch pool exhibit. They will then see an exhibit of living coral and can watch a film about Okinawa’s oceans.
The aquarium leads people around the famous main tank to exhibits about sharks and the deep ocean, which is extensively studied in Japan. Outside of the first-floor exit, visitors can see exhibits and shows of dolphins, sea turtles, and manatees.
Admission costs 2180 yen. The Okinawa Airport Shuttle, the Yanbaru Express and bus line 117 directly run to the Churaumi Aquarium.
3. Port of Nagoya Public Aquarium, Aichi
Here you can find Japan’s largest outdoor tank. This aquarium is famous for its killer whales, beluga whales, and dolphins, which provide entertainment with their enrichment shows a few times a day.
The main tank hosts the bigger animals, who will often move closer to the windows to learn more about their curious human visitors. Besides this vast tank, there is also the Kuroshio Tank, which is home to many animals native to Japan.
There is also the Deep Sea Tank and Coral Reef Tank. Visitors should also stop by the Sea Turtle Migration Tank to see endangered sea turtles. The Australian Freshwater offers glimpse into he lives of the native animals of the world’s smallest continent, while the Antarctic Marine Life hosts the Penguin Encounter, a very popular exhibit.
Adult admission costs 2030 yen with discounts for children and seniors. You can get to the aquarium from Exit 3 of Nagoyako Station of the subway Meiko Line.
4. Adventure World, Wakayama
If you are looking for a day full of adventure, this combination aquarium, zoo, and amusement park is for you. The zoo area is most famous for its small family of giant pandas.
Feed a variety of animals, including giraffes, and observe animals freely roaming the safari zone. For the sea life, the aquarium portion of the park includes some spectacular dolphin and sea lion shows.
You can also visit with some penguins or watch playful sea otters float around their enclosure. The amusement portion of the park includes a go-cart track, a Ferris wheel, and several rollercoasters, all right on the edge of the ocean.
You can get to Adventure World by bus from Shirahama Station or Nanki-Shirahama Airport.
5. Kamogawa Seaworld, Chiba
Facing the Pacific Ocean, this aquarium is home to large numbers of marine life, making for a wonderful day-long visit. There are three zones: Eco Aquaroam, Tropical Island, and Rocky World.
Each of these zones tries to recreate the natural habitats of the animals located there. In the Eco Aquaroam, the conditions of the rivers of the Boso Peninsula (where the aquarium is located) are replicated as closely as possible.
Tropical Island is home to the aquarium’s largest tank and features a coral reef full of colorful creatures. Rocky World is home to many other forms of marine life. The most popular part of the aquarium is its live killer whale, beluga whale, dolphin, and sea lion performances.
Admission costs 3000 yen. You can get to Kamogawa Seaworld by taking a shuttle bus from Awa-Kamogawa Station.
6. Yokohama Hakkeijima Sea Paradise, Kanagawa
More than Aquarium, this complex is often called an ocean leisure facility. The most famous aquarium attraction is a huge tank that is home to 50,000 sardines that dart around in a massive school, serving a living light show.
Visitors can also see penguins, polar bears, sharks, walruses, dolphins, and more. The Marine Life show features many animals, with the walruses being a highlight. At the Fureai Lagoon, you can pet dolphins and other animals, as well as see a dolphin show and attend educational presentations.
Besides sea life, the island also hosts amusement park rides. The Leviathan roller coaster sticks out over the ocean, the only one in Japan that does. There is also a great merry-go-round for smaller children as well as fun arcades.
The island is free to visit, though rides and the aquarium do cost money. You can buy various passes for different access levels at varying prices. You can also stay at the hotel on the island; advanced reservations are recommended.
You can get to Yokohama Hakkeijima Sea Paradise from Tokyo or Yokohama via the elevated Seaside Line.
7. Maxell Aqua Park Shinagawa, Tokyo
This high-tech aquarium is one of a kind. The exhibits are accented with LED displays and music. The dolphin show is a highlight, but you can also visit a naturalistic jungle area as well as a fun sea otter exhibit.
Visitors can also see penguins, sea lions, sea turtles, and much more. There are many rides and shows to see, all blending oceanic education with technological spectacle. Adult admission costs ¥2,300, while children between 4- and 15-years old cost ¥1,200. Children under 3 years old enter for free.
Aqua Park is inside the Shinagawa Prince Hotel, which can be reached by taking the JR Yamanote Line or Keihin-Tohoku Line to Shinagawa Station, then walking a short distance to the hotel. If you are staying nearby Shinagawa Station in Tokyo, plan a trip to this aquarium for a little bit of different travel experience.
8. Toba Aquarium, Mie
With twelve zones to navigate at your leisure, this aquarium is home to the greatest number of species of any aquarium in Japan.
This is the only aquarium in Japan that has a dugong, a manatee-like creature that is very rare, and is home to numerous fish, crabs, and even sea otters and sea lions.
Usually feeding and animal shows occur at the top of every hour. Admission costs 2800 yen. To get to Toba Aquarium take either JR or Kintetsu trains to Toba Station. And from the station, it’s just a walk.
9. Oita Marine Palace Aquarium, Oita
This huge aquarium on Beppu Bay is an immersive experience. The biggest tank holds 1250 tons of water and is home to many fish, putting visitors in the depths of an underwater world.
The aquarium offers visitors a tour of this huge circular tank to educate them about the lives of the animals that live there. Be sure to see the popular dolphin and walrus shows, as well.
You can also interact with the animals, as plenty of exhibits offer opportunities to touch animals such as starfish and rays. The dolphin pool is designed to resemble a sandy beach, giving interaction a natural feel.
There is a river zone as well, allowing you to see a whole different set of aquatic life. A play area and restaurant offer fun and food for the whole family. Oita Marine Palace Aquarium is located very close to Oita Station.
10. Aquamarine Fukushima, Fukushima
This Oceanside aquarium gives visitors a window into the waters of Fukushima and the world. One section recreates the local inland waters and environment, with a triangular tank meant to simulate the area where the Kuroshio Current from the south and the Oyashio Current from the north meet off the coast of Fukushima.
The Waters of Tropical Area is contained in a greenhouse that makes it feel like you are walking by tropical shores, while the Okhotsk Sea is home to animals native to the Sea of Okhotsk to the northeast of Hokkaido. Visitors of all ages can touch starfish at a touch pool display.
Be sure to visit the aquarium’s collection of goldfish, as well, which includes many types of this well-known domestic species. Last but certainly not least, say hello to the aquarium’s curious walruses and sea lions!
Admission costs 1850 yen. You can get to Aquamarine Fukushima by walking a short way from Aeon Mall Iwaki Onahama, which is connected by buses to Yumoto Station via the East Exit.
