Kaiyukan Aquarium is located in Tempozan port village in Minato ward, near Osaka Bay. It opened in 1990, and was the largest aquarium in the world at that time. Until now, Kaiyukan is still in the top 3 largest aquariums in Japan, and top 15 largest aquariums in the world. Today, let's explore this extremely large and ancient aquarium with us!
Address: https://maps.app.goo.gl/ZY3nTQNzFe6x13S58
You can get here by train, follow the Chuo line, go to Cosmo square, go to Osakako station, then walk about 500 meters to reach the aquarium.
Ticket price: depends on the age of the visitor, 2700 JPY for people over 16 years old (3500 JPY on holidays) and free for children under 2 years old. Details about each price will be in the photo below.
You can buy tickets online (e-ticket) or buy tickets directly at the entrance. The queuing time to buy tickets directly is often very long, so I recommend buying an e-ticket to save time waiting.
You can refer to the link to buy tickets at Kaiyukan's homepage THIS. Payment can be made by Paypay or Visa card. And attention should buy tickets 3-5 days before the expected departure date To choose an early entry time.
At the time I went, it was close to festival time koinobori (carp flag festival in Japan), and Kaiyukan was also very creative by hanging flags of marine creatures at the aquarium such as whales, sharks, rays, etc. outside the premises. So interesting 😀
You can arrive earlier than the admission time listed on your ticket to take photos around the grounds outside the aquarium before going inside.
In front of the entrance there will also be staff taking commemorative photos for you, you will receive a free 4×6 photo. If you find them beautiful, you can buy larger sized photos at the counter next to them.
After entering the aquarium, there will be two paths on the left and right, the right side leads to the aquarium entrance, and the right side is... the exit. And unfortunately, I went in the wrong direction of the exit because I was following the direction of the giant shark model in front 😀
I went back and told the staff at the entrance, and luckily they happily accepted to let me back in. Please pay attention and don't make the same mistake as me 😀
To the right of the entrance, is the path leading to the "Aqua gate" - a transparent tunnel under the sea, where you can easily see many species of fish from many different directions. This is also a very beautiful photo spot, don't miss it when passing here.
Going through the tunnel, there will be an escalator leading to the 8th floor, leading to the next exhibition called Japan Forest – Nihon no Mori.
This exhibition recreates a Japanese forest full of river fish and creatures that live near water. I especially like looking at the otters here, very mischievous and adorable. Can watch for a long time without getting bored 😀
Following the Japanese forest, there are exhibits on the Aleutian Islands in Alaska and the Monterey Bay in California, where seals live on coastal cliffs.
We can also move forward to easily see these seals swimming in the sea.
This area is quite deep, so you can continue going down to take pictures if there are too many people standing around to watch.
The next area will be the Panama Bay and Ecuadorian rainforest exhibition, with many strangely shaped fish that I have seen for the first time.
Right next to this area, is an exhibition that recreates the harsh icy environment of the Antarctic region, where King penguins live.
There are also young penguins, with very special brown fluff. These furs are very thick and insulate well, helping to protect them from the harsh cold weather in Antarctica. In addition, this fur is also the same color as the cliffs, helping them camouflage against enemies. As they grow older, they gradually lose this feathers and develop the shiny, waterproof, black-and-white feathers that are convenient for swimming, which we often see in adult king penguins.
And then, there's Kaiyukan's main aquarium, a giant aquarium located in the center of the aquarium, 9 meters deep, 34 meters long, and holding up to 5400 tons of water. This aquarium, called Pacific Ocean, recreates life under the Pacific Ocean, with many giant fish species such as rays, sharks and especially, whale sharks - large fish. best in the world at the present time.
In addition, at certain hours, we can see with our own eyes the staff here diving to the bottom of the sea and feeding the fish. I will leave specific times and feeding areas in the photos below.
Halfway through the aquarium, there will be a cafe/fast food shop where people can rest, eat and drink before exploring further.
Next, let's continue to explore the rest of the aquarium.
And the final aquarium, themed Japan deeps, includes creatures that live on the ocean floor, with a depth of 200-400 meters. Featured here is the giant Japanese spider crab, the largest crab in the world.
Giant Japanese spider crab.
In addition to Japanese spider crabs, at the bottom of the ocean there are also many species of fish with very strange shapes, this is the first time I have seen them with my own eyes.
And this is the end of the aquarium area in Kaiyukan. People go straight following the signs to reach the next area in the aquarium. If you haven't had time to take photos in the front areas, you can take photos with the giant fish tank in the center before moving on to the new area.
Because flash is not allowed inside the aquarium, you can stand close to the aquarium to take advantage of the natural light here, thereby making photography easier.
And the next area of the aquarium, is a newly built area, displaying many types of jellyfish, with all shapes and sizes, very beautiful.
Jellyfish species are also placed in horizontal cylindrical tanks, with small lights shining up from below, very artistically.
The next area of the aquarium is an exhibition with an Arctic theme, which highlights the Ringed seal - an earless seal that lives in the Arctic.
This is my picture every Monday morning 😀
The seal with many lovely and humorous expressions attracts a lot of people to stop and watch and are extremely excited.
Right next to the Arctic area is the Southern Rockhopper penguin area, with a characteristic feature of its golden crest feathers. This is also a creature whose population is decreasing and is on the red list due to climate change and overfishing.
And the last area of the aquarium is an exhibition of marine corals. This area has very nice lighting, and there are quite a few angles where photos can be taken.
The total time to visit the aquarium will last about 4-6 hours, including time for taking photos and resting. So you don't need to worry too much if you can't buy early entry tickets.
Outside the exit there is also an area selling souvenirs, as well as a Starbucks for shopping or sitting at a cafe with friends.
And here, I have completed a full day of exploring the Kaiyukan Osaka Aquarium. Hopefully this article will help you gain more information and perspective on the attractions inside the aquarium through your lens, before making a decision whether to go or not.
Don't forget to Follow me on Instagram ( travel.w.minh_photo ) or Subscribe to receive notifications every time I have a new article.
***************************************************************************************************************
Explore our useful services in Japan:
- Taking photos of individuals, couples, and families in Osaka, Kyoto, Nara: See more HERE
- Plan and schedule your trip to Japan: See more HERE
- eSim data, pocket wifi travel in Japan: See more HERE
***************************************************************************************************************
*** Please read the requirements carefully Copyright & Collaboration before copying or quoting blog content and images. Thank you.