7 Best Japan Aquariums to Visit

Lionfish, tiger sharks, and rays. Oh my! Dive into this breakdown of our favorite Japan aquariums, and learn what’s up at these aquatic attractions.

The Churaumi Aquarium in Okinawa is generally considered the best aquarium in Japan, and one of the finest in the world. It boasts an impressive 75 tanks across four floors, but three in particular help draw in the crowds.

The colossal Kuroshio Sea Tank is named for the ocean current that feeds Okinawa, and is home to the aquarium’s famous whale sharks (the world’s biggest fish, no less). Manta rays and much more cruise around the tank, which you can admire from the walkways above, the Aqua Room below, or its huge side panels. Book a table at the Ocean Blue Cafe to enjoy the view from a “window seat” (¥500 for 40 mins).

The Coral Sea Tank greets you as you enter, with an amazing vista of over 70 kinds of living coral cultivated over many years — and a host of colorful critters making it their home. Below, the Deep Sea Tank is devoted to the strange beings that live up to 700 meters beneath Okinawa’s waves. Don’t miss the luminous fish!

Outside the aquarium, numerous pools house dolphins, sea turtles, manatees, and more. The gorgeous ocean views, meanwhile, may be best enjoyed from the buffet restaurant Inoh.

Sumida Aquarium next to Tokyo Skytree is not the biggest aquarium in Tokyo. But it’s widely praised for its design, and the comfort afforded its fur seals and penguins — both stars of the aquarium. They enjoy one of the biggest indoor open tanks in Japan, with around 350 tons of water in a two-level open exhibit space that allows observation from every angle.

The Tokyo Tank here also brings the ocean life of the capital’s Ogasawara Islands into the city: 450 sea creatures of 50 different species including sharks and stingrays. Look through its Aqua Scope viewports for another perspective, simulating an underwater view. Other great features include the open-top jellyfish tanks which you can view from a glass-bottomed walkway above it, and the Edorium, an exhibition displaying 20 breeds of goldfish with traditional Edo-era design elements.

Hakkeijima is so much more than just an aquarium — it’s a Sea Paradise! Occupying an entire island off the coast of Yokohama, this amusement park has two complementary aquatic themes: Aqua Resorts and Pleasure Land.

Aqua Resorts is a cluster of four aquariums that collectively form one of the largest in Japan. Aqua Museum is a five-story affair with over 120,000 sea creatures of 700 species. Sharks and stingrays, walruses, and the Aqua Stadium are just the tip of the iceberg here.

At Dolphin Fantasy, you can walk beneath bottle-nosed friends in the Arch Tank, and see the colossal ocean sunfish. Fureai Lagoon is the place to meet and greet more dolphins, plus the beluga whale, cape penguin, and others. While Umi Farm is all about marine education, divided into the Fisherman’s Oasis and Ocean Lab.

Outside of the aquariums, the Pleasure Land area is full of thrills and spills. Its 16 rides include the Surf Coaster Leviathan, which winds its 1,271-meter length all around the park and out over the ocean.

This one is a favorite partly because the nearby island of Enoshima is one of the top day trips from Tokyo (Check out our Enoshima itinerary here). But it also stands out as the birthplace of jellyfish husbandry. Yes, they’ve been raising jellyfish here for nearly 50 years, and it shows! The Jellyfish Fantasy Hall is one of the best exhibits on these floating critters in the world. The giant tanks wrap around the hall like huge moving paintings, for an immersive undersea experience that’s relaxing and breathtaking in equal measures.

Enoshima Aquarium — or “Enosui” — sits by Sagami Bay, and it has a strong focus on the diverse local sea life. The Sagami Bay Zone shows off sharks and swarms of sardines, The Dolphin Stadium, Sea Turtle Beach, and the cute capybara complete the experience — not to mention the views of Mt. Fuji to the west.

Hours 

10:30 am–7:00 pm or longer (seasonal schedule)

Address 

Kaigandori, Minato-ku, Osaka 552-0022 (map)

Access 

5 minutes from Osakako Station, 60 minutes by shuttle bus from KIX 

Price 

¥2,700 adults, ¥700–¥1,400 (ages 0–2 free) 

Shows 

None 

Feeding 

Dolphins, seals, sea lions, penguins, coatis, otters, waterfowl, and Pacific Ocean fish (schedule)

This extensive aquarium in Nagoya is one of the biggest in Japan, comprised of two separate buildings in the waterfront Port of Nagoya Garden Pier complex. The aquarium is best known for its dolphin shows, orcas, and beluga whales in the North Building, which holds the biggest outdoor tank in Japan. The South Building echoes the attractions of Churaumi Aquarium, with a Kuroshio Tank, Coral Reef Tank, and Deep Sea Gallery.

Unique attractions include the Australian Freshwater Display, with various aquatic life from “Down Under,” and the Tornado of Sardines event, where 35,000 fish swarm for food around their tank in a coordinated maelstrom three times a day.

And when visiting the aquarium, be sure to check out some other Garden Pier attractions. Nagoya Port Building has gorgeous waterfront views from its 53-meter-high Observation Lounge, while the Fuji Antarctic Museum is set inside a historic icebreaker ship!

Shimoda Aquarium is a little remote — you’ll find it down the end of the Izu Peninsula, southwest of Tokyo. Far from the real tourist hotspots of Japan, you’re most likely to visit as part of a trip to the beaches and onsen in the area.

We made sure to include it in this list for a particular reason though: dolphins in the open(ish) ocean! Shimoda Aquarium is built on and around Wakanoura Bay, so compared to Japan’s urban aquariums, this one gives the majestic marine mammals a lot more space to roam. If you’d like to get up-close and personal with a bottlenose dolphin, this is the place for you.

Besides dolphin shows throughout the day, for an extra fee you can feed or pet them, snorkel, kayak, or even scuba dive with them! Do note though, most activities require some amount of Japanese fluency.

Elsewhere in the aquarium, you’ll find penguins, turtles, seals, sea lions, otters, jellyfish, lionfish, and more. It’s far from Japan’s biggest aquarium, but it sure is unique!