9 Recommended Spots and Ways to Enjoy the Osaka Aquarium Kaiyukan

When you are in Osaka, visit the Osaka Aquarium Kaiyukan!

The Osaka Aquarium Kaiyukan is located inside the Tempozan Harbor Village in Tempozan of Minato-ku in Osaka city. The 8-story aquarium has 14 tanks, including the world's largest ones that replicate the Pacific Ocean. The Kaiyukan is Osaka's ubiquitous sightseeing spot.

Operating Hours: 9:30 - 20:00 (Varies depending on the season)

Admission Fee: Adults (16 and over): 2,300 yen  Children (7-15 years): 1,200 yen   Children (4-6 years): 600 yen   Seniors (over 60): 2,000 yen

HP: kaiyukan.com/language/eng/

HP: kaiyukan.com/language/chinese_traditional/ (Chinese)

HP: kaiyukan.com/guidecourse/family.html (Japanese Only)

Address: 1-1-10 Kaigandori, Minato-ku, Osaka-shi, Osaka (Google Map)

1. Aqua Gate, the underwater tunnel

The Aqua Gate is a 11-meter long tunnel-shaped tank that will make you feel like you are walking underwater. You can take a view from underneath of fishes swimming which is normally hard to see. This underwater tunnel is mystic but impressive.

2. Japan Forest

The Japanese forest area is where the Asian small clawed otter is. The Asian small clawed otter is in the same family as the river otter and is very small. It was given this name for having small claws. They are very clever so they are good at grasping things.

3. Aleutian Islands

The Aleutian Islands area is where everyone's favorite, the sea otter is. They spend most of their time in the ocean and is in the same family as the river otter. The sea otter crack shells using items such as stones. Males are about 1.3 meters to 1.4 meters long and weigh about 30 - 40 kg.

4. Monterey Bay

The Monterey Bay area is where the cute California sea lion is. When full grown, males are 2.4 meters long and weigh over 300 kg. They can bark very loudly. They are so cute, you would want to touch them.

5. Gulf of Panama

At the Gulf of Panama area, you can find the tree climbing experts that move along the ceilings, the ringed-tailed coatis. They are 130 cm in length and weigh about 5 kg. The color of their fur is brownish-red and they have a very long flexible nose and a long tail. They use their long sharp nails on their front paw to climb trees.

6. Ecuador Rain Forest

The world's biggest freshwater fish, Pirarucu is in the Ecuador Rain Forest area. The Pirarucu still remains in its ancient form and has not changed from over a hundred million years ago. It is said that they have been inhabiting in the Amazon river from that time. They are over 2 meters long.

7. Antarctica

The Antarctica area replicates the Antarctic continent and you can see the humorous penguins. The second biggest penguin to the emperor penguin, the King penguins walk freely and at times, swim swiftly in the water. It is a very relaxing sight.

8. Tasman Sea

The Pacific white-sided dolphins with its fins white in the back, swim gracefully in the Tasman Sea area. There is no other place in the city to see the Pacific white-sided dolphins this close.

9. The Pacific Ocean

9 meters deep, 34 meters wide at the longest, and having the capacity of 5,400 tons of water, is the world's largest tank replicating the world's biggest sea, the Pacific Ocean. This tank is impressive and the symbol of Kaiyukan, the whale shark is a sight that is worth seeing.