Our 182nd entry in this blog is our first time visit to Osaka Aquarium Kaiyukan in Minato, Osaka, Japan. This is everyone’s first time. But before we go in, we need to find some lunchies 🙂

After that sumptuous lunch just fronting the aquarium building, we are so ready to go in. 🙂

Osaka Aquarium Kaiyukan is located in the Tempozan Harbor Village of Osaka’s bay area, and is one of Japan’s most spectacular aquariums. It introduces various forms of life inhabiting the Pacific Rim in a well organized and impressive way. -japan-guide.com

Visitors start their tour of the aquarium on the 8th floor and slowly spiral down floor by floor around the central tank. Some of the tanks stretch over several floors, making it possible to observe the animals from different depths and perspectives.

Marine life is displayed in over a dozen tanks, each representing a specific region of the Pacific Rim. The central tank, representing the Pacifc Ocean, is nine meters deep and home to a whale shark, the aquarium’s main attraction.

As one of the largest aquariums in the world, Osaka Aquarium Kaiyukan is complete with an impressive display of marine life from the waters of Japan, the Pacific Ocean and beyond. This walk-through aquarium aims to bring visitors closer to the underwater world. I have always been fascinated by aquariums because I am a person who, sadly, does not know how to swim. hehe. I will never get a chance to meet these wonderful sea creatures where it not for aquariums like this.

Look at that fish’s reaction towards Ate Rei! The fish was surprised to see her as well. 🙂
In 1990, the Okinawa Ocean Expo Aquarium (predecessor of Okinawa Churaumi Aquarium), were the first in the world to whale sharks in captivity, but did not exhibit them. At that time, the Osaka Aquarium was the only facility in the world that owned whale sharks. In 1994 the aquarium successfully captivated a manta ray which was the second in the world at the time. Later in 1995 the aquarium managed to successfully hold an ocean sunfish in captivity.

Our little Sai loves to stay near the glass as he pretends to be inside the tank himself. 🙂

There are also lots of king crabs. Very scary looking! They are just like aliens for me. hehe 🙂

This is a unique part of the aquarium. We can see the fishes and seals from under. The “New Interactive Area” that opened in 2013 allows visitors to see the animals up close and possibly touch them. In the “New Interactive Area”, 3 zones are constructed, the Arctic Zone, in which visitors see ringed seals, Falkland Islands Zone, where they can see southern rockhopper penguins, and the Maldives Zone, in which they can directly touch stingrays and small sharks like brownbanded bamboo sharks and coral catsharks.

We had so much fun time in the Osaka Aquarium. It is really big, we did not notice the time. It’s getting late and almost time for another meal? hehehe 🙂 Until next time Kaiyukan!