A Guest Post by Anne Thynne
An island country, Japan is particularly renowned among tourists from all around the world for its unique, sometimes strange, but yet delicious seafood-based marine cuisine. However, Japan is actually a paradise not only for seafood gourmets but also for aquarists and fish enthusiasts.
Virtually in any city of Japan, tourists are offered aquarium tours promising to get them acquainted with beauties unseen anywhere else in the world. But having very limited time, there are only so many places one could manage to travel to during a single trip to Japan.
If you happen to stay in Tokyo during your Japan trip, or maybe if your route lies through Tokyo with a one-day stop, then we’d like to introduce 6 places for aquarists and fish enthusiasts to visit in and around Tokyo to make for a perfect day trip to the capital.
Some of these sites are in a good ride from Tokyo, but we think that you should still consider paying a visit to them, given that you have time.
6 places to visit in and around Tokyo for an aquarist/fish enthusiast
Sunshine Aquarium
The Sunshine Mall in Tokyo’s district Ikebukuro isn’t a place that is exclusively made for fish enthusiasts – the primary activities one could engage in the mall are shopping and dining.
However, on top of the J-Town and Namja Town attractions, this mall boasts displays of marine animals from oceans throughout the world at the Sunshine Aquarium. Apart from fish, the Sunshine Aquarium features a small replica of the Amazon basin along with amphibians and a variety of freshwater fish species. And at the roof deck, you will be presented with an open area occupied by sea lions and even penguins.
Shinagawa Aquarium
The Shinagawa Aquarium is probably the closest you could get to marine life without getting wet. This aquarium features a 72 feet long tunnel situated at the bed-level of the aquarium to allow you to watch sea species from the side and from below.
For a more chilling experience, the Shinagawa Aquarium offers a shark tank tour for visitors to view those sea beasts up close. In addition, you may be lucky enough to watch entertaining live shows involving sea lions and dolphins.
Maxell Aqua Park Shinagawa
The experience delivered by the Maxell Aqua Park Shinagawa is arguably a weird one but nonetheless astonishing.
Of particular interest in the Maxell Aqua Park Shinagawa is the Jellyfish Ramble on the ground floor, which features rows of colorfully illuminated aquariums filled with bobbing jellyfish. The Jellyfish Ramble area already looks dazzling and difficult to comprehend in photos, but wait until you are able to see it all with your own eyes!
There are plenty of other interesting areas and things to see in the Maxell Aqua Park Shinagawa. For instance, visitors are offered to watch rare manta rays and sawfish gracefully dancing around from the Wonder Tube underwater tunnel.
Besides, the Wild Street will allow you to observe how penguins and seals live in their habitat, while the Coral Café Bar will attract you with its decorative aquarium illuminated by luminescent corals. Have you ever considered keeping corals in your home aquaria? Well you should give it a thought. Lighting for reef tank could be a little challenging but fascinating stuff corals are!
Kamogawa Sea World
Kamogawa Sea World will be a heaven for people who have long wanted to see killer whales up close. To visit the Sea World, you will actually have to leave Tokyo for Kamogawa, a city 85 kilometers southeast of the center of Tokyo.
Being in quite a distance from Tokyo, the Sea World isn’t going to be suitable for you if you don’t want to leave the capital. But if you are willing to go beyond Tokyo, it certainly is a great place to visit.
The Kamogawa Sea World park is particularly renowned for its interactive encounter with sea animals. And yes, the Sea World is home not only to killer whales – here, you can also observe the performances of dolphins, belugas, sea lions, and seals, not to mention the collection of over 11 thousand sea creatures.
So while the Kamogawa Sea World is in a 1-2-hour train ride from Tokyo, it may be worth it for you to visit it if you are an avid fan of killer whales.
Hakkeijima Sea Paradise
Hakkeijima Sea Paradise also lies outside Tokyo in the city of Yokohama 35 km south to the capital. But given the close vicinity of the city to Tokyo, we think that Hakkeijima Sea Paradise is worthy of consideration even if you don’t have too much time to look around in Tokyo.
The uniqueness of Hakkeijima Sea Paradise is that it isn’t merely a sea aquarium – it actually is a site that features a wide array of aquatic attractions!
Of course, water lovers will have the opportunity to delight upon the Sea Paradise’s aqua museum, the interactive areas, as well as the uni farm. But to dilute the experience a little, you could participate in the Sea Paradise’s water-based rides, including Japan’s first surf coaster that swings over the water. Hakkeijima Sea Paradise is thus a great place to pay a visit with children.
Not only that, but Hakkeijima Sea Paradise also offers places to shop and dine in, as well as a hotel nearby for those who wish to stay overnight and then visit other attractions in Yokohama.
Tokyo Sea Life Park
The Tokyo Sea Life Park boasts aquatic life not only from Tokyo but also from oceans around the world, including even the Polar Regions.
Located in a huge dome structure in the Kasai Rinkai Park, the Tokyo Sea Life Park features a 2,200-ton doughnut-shaped water tank with an enormous variety of marine species. Aside from that, the Tokyo Sea Life Park accommodates one of Japan’s largest penguin exhibitions, as well as a kelp forest.
If you pay a visit to the Tokyo Sea Life Park, then we highly advise you to look around the Kasai Rinkai Park as well. The park offers a variety of walking trails crisscrossing lawns, gardens, and beaches.
The Kasai Rinkai Park also features a seabird sanctuary, an observation building with a view of the park’s entire scenic landscape, and a 384 feet Ferris wheel to again allow you to enjoy the views, but with a little more thrill.
A MESSAGE FROM THE AUTHOR
” Hi, this is Anne Thynne. Not the famous marine biologist but I love the fact that we both share a common interest. I have been keeping fish in aquarium since my childhood. Back in 2007, I was introduced with the amazing world of aquascaping and reef keeping. Since then I am trying to study the complex ecosystem inside an aquaria. Hands on experience and discussing with fellow aquarists made me learn one or two things which I like to share through my writings. You can read them at https://expertaquarist.com . Happy fish keeping!”
