Updated for September 2026
The Best Aquariums in Japan
How this list is ordered: by how complete our listing is — how much we hold on opening hours, ticket prices, accreditation, photographs, animals and facilities. It is a measure of our own coverage, not a judgement of the venue. We hold no visitor scores or conservation assessments, so “best” here means every aquarium in Japan that qualifies for the list, fullest entry first.
Listed alphabetically
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Keeper talk or show
Aquamarine Fukushima
Aquarium in Onahama
Aquamarine Fukushima, opened in 2000, is an aquarium in Onahama, Iwaki, Fukushima, Japan. Its exhibits include オセアニック・ガレリア, 親潮アイスボックス, 潮目の海, カワウソのふち and 金魚館.
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Keeper talk or showOn-site diningParking
Aqua World
Aquarium in ひたちなか市
Aqua World, opened in 2002, is an aquarium in ひたちなか市, Japan. Its exhibits include IWASHI_LIFE and オーシャンホール.
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Keeper talk or showOn-site dining
Asamushi Aquarium
Aquarium in Aomori-shi
Run by the Aomori prefectural government, it is the northernmost aquarium on Honshū and looks out on Mutsu Bay. The collection numbers 11,000 marine creatures, among them more than 500 uncommon aquatic species from elsewhere in the world.
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Behind-the-scenes tourEducation programOn-site dining
DMM Kariyushi Aquarium
Aquarium in 豊見城市
DMM Kariyushi Aquarium, opened in 2020, is an aquarium in 豊見城市, Japan. Animals on show include コツメカワウソ, ナマケモノ, フクロウ, ペンギン and グリーンイグアナ.
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Keeper talk or showParking
Port of Nagoya Public Aquarium
Aquarium in 名古屋市港区
Port of Nagoya Public Aquarium, opened in 1992, is an aquarium in 名古屋市港区, Japan.
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Sendai Umino-Mori Aquarium
Aquarium in 仙台市宮城野区
Sendai Umino-Mori Aquarium is an aquarium in 仙台市宮城野区, Japan.
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On-site dining
Toba Aquarium
Aquarium in 鳥羽市
Toba Aquarium, opened in 1955, is an aquarium in 鳥羽市, Japan. Animals on show include ラッコ, スナメリ and ニホンアマガエル.
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Parking
Hekinan Seaside Aquarium
Aquarium in 碧南市
Hekinan Seaside Aquarium is an aquarium in 碧南市, Japan. Its exhibits include ビオトープ and ぐるんちゃ.
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Behind-the-scenes tourParking
Kujukushima Pearl Sea Resort
Aquarium in 佐世保市
Kujukushima Pearl Sea Resort, opened in 1994, is an aquarium in 佐世保市, Japan. Animals on show include ミツデリッポウクラゲ, テナガザル, レッサーパンダ, ハンドウイルカ and カヤネズミ.
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Disability admission concession
Nifrel
Aquarium in 吹田市
Nifrel is an aquarium in 吹田市, Japan. Animals on show include ミニカバ, オニオオハシ, マガキガイ, アナホリフクロウ and オーストラリアガマグチヨタカ.
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Keeper talk or showBehind-the-scenes tourNight and evening opening
Osaka Aquarium Kaiyukan
Aquarium in 大阪市港区
Osaka Aquarium Kaiyukan, opened in 1990, is an aquarium in 大阪市港区, Japan. Animals on show include ブルージェリー フィッシュ, アカシュモク ザメ, タカアシガニ, ホウボウ and カブトクラゲ.
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Keeper talk or showTouch pool
Uozu Aquarium
Aquarium in 魚津市
Uozu Aquarium, opened in 1913, is an aquarium in 魚津市, Japan. Its exhibits include 富山の河川コーナー, 田んぼの生物多様性コーナー, 深海生物コーナー, 表層生物コーナー and 富山湾大水槽.
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Yokohama Hakkeijima Sea Paradise
Aquarium in 横浜市金沢区
Yokohama Hakkeijima Sea Paradise, opened in 1993, is an aquarium in 横浜市金沢区, Japan.
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Animal feeding experienceBehind-the-scenes tourOn-site dining
Sunshine Aquarium
Aquarium in 豊島区
Opened in October 1978, it occupies upper storeys and the roof of Sunshine City's World Import Mart building, and holds around 750 species and 37,000 fish across roughly 80 tanks. Its rooftop setting limits the scale of any renovation and leaves it with less floor space than most aquariums, a constraint addressed with a full closure and rebuild between September 2010 and August 2011. Displays range from the Sunshine Coral Reef, Japan's first permanent coral reef reproduction, which keeps a great white pelican, Baikal seal and zebra shark, to newer additions such as the Marine Garden's rooftop penguin and otter areas added in 2017 and the Kurage Kuukan jellyfish exhibit introduced in 2020.
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Behind-the-scenes tour
SEA LIFE Nagoya
Aquarium in 名古屋市港区
SEA LIFE Nagoya is an aquarium in 名古屋市港区, Japan. Things to do include バックヤード体験ツアー, 質問コーナー and シャークライフ！最凶はだれ？.
Our ranking methodology
This is not a ranking. The 17 venues above are listed alphabetically by name, the same order used throughout this site. We do not collect visitor reviews, star ratings, ticket-sales figures or a conservation-impact score, so none of those exist here to rank by — “best” in this page’s title means every venue that qualifies for this list, not first-to-last by quality. If we ever add a data source robust enough to support an honest ranking, this note and the order above will change together.