One of Japan’s best aquariums, Aqua World Ibaraki Oarai is home to over 580 different varieties of salt-water and fresh-water sea life. Just as its iconic shark symbol may hint, this aquarium is held as the nation’s best place to find the most varieties of sharks. For an extra thrill, you can also visit Japan’s biggest tank dedicated to ocean sunfish here, displaying a number of different varieties of this rare fish.
The aquarium is quite expansive and even includes a “Deai no Umi” (Meet the Sea) Zone that recreates Ibaraki’s seascape and a “Sekai no Umi” (The World’s Oceans) Zone where countless shark, sunfish, and other varieties can be found swimming by. For loveable crowd favorites, you won’t want to miss the tufted puffins and cuddly otters in the “Sekai no Umi (The World’s Oceans)” Zone 2. For live shows featuring sea lions and dolphins, head over to the Ocean Zone.
In addition to the real tanks found across each zone, there’s also a preserved shark display and CG recreation of them swimming in the Shark Daddy’s Room, or a “Kidsland” area where children can learn about sea creatures by interacting with them. In the “Mori to Kawa” (Forest and River) Zone you’ll find the rivers of Ibaraki recreated before your eyes, or headover to the 8th and final zone, the “Deai Deck” (Meet and Greet Deck), home to one of the world’s largest taxidermy basking sharks and a larger-than-life model of a sperm whale. Head on over to dive into the water world and learn about the sea!
Highlights
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One of Japan’s top aquariums, home to over 580 different species of aquatic life.
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Raises the largest number of sharks in Japan.
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Also home to the largest dedicated sunfish tank in all of Japan, featuring a wide array of different sunfish.
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Aquarium is divided into 8 separate zones.
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There’s a special kids corner for little ones to explore.