Even though dolphin and penguin shows tend to feel pretty similar everywhere, I still love bringing my kids to aquariums. There's just something mysterious about the ocean world! Otaru Aquarium is especially cool because you can see all kinds of northern and southern fish, plus rare creatures from Hokkaido. Every time we visit Japan, we make sure to come here, and my kids always get super excited!
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Otaru Aquarium
The Otaru Aquarium, located within the natural Otaru Coast National Park of Niseko Shakotan Otaru, is a must-visit with its impressive performances and marine life living in a near-natural environment!
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About 20 minutes by bus or sightseeing boat from JR Otaru Station, the aquarium showcases approximately 250 species and 5,000 marine organisms, primarily from Hokkaido and polar regions.
Popular attractions include thrilling dolphin shows, exciting sea lion performances, and a touch area where visitors can interact with marine creatures native to Hokkaido's seas. One of the highlights is the penguin show, where the penguins freely act, ignoring the trainer's commands. Other notable displays feature unique marine life such as the only population of harbor porpoises in Japan, halibut, wolf fish, and Hokkaido's iconic large freshwater fish, the Ito.
The "Marine Mammal Park," utilizing a natural inlet, features a large area where seals and sea lions live. The pool water is enriched with seaweed, and fish and sea urchins thrive in this realistic environment. Wild seals and sea lions sometimes come ashore on nearby rocks and may even enter the pool, where they are sometimes kept in captivity.
From spring to autumn, the adjacent "Otaru Shukutsu Marine Land" amusement park opens, offering 10 attractions including a Ferris wheel and Viking ship, perfect for combining with your aquarium visit.
Highlights
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An aquarium that takes advantage of Otaru's natural environment.
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Features a variety of shows and performances, including dolphins and penguins.
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The "Marine Mammal Park" area, utilizing a natural inlet, sometimes sees wild creatures come ashore.
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Includes the "Otaru Shukutsu Marine Land" amusement park.
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Accessible by both bus and sightseeing boat.
Photos
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Penguin walks are also a popular attraction.
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An exhilarating dolphin show full of excitement.
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You can also feed the adorable spotted seals with their big, round eyes
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The Otaru Aquarium is the only place in Japan where harbor porpoises are kept and displayed.
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In winter, you can also see wild sea lions landing on offshore rocks.
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The "Marine Mammal Park," facing the sea, is another highlight of this area.
Official FAQs
Frequently Asked Questions have been vetted and answered directly by each listing.
Q
Do you have signs or pamphlets in foreign languages? (If you do, which languages are available?)
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English, Traditional Chinese and Simplified Chinese are available.
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Is it possible to re-enter the premises?
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Yes, it is.
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Is free WiFi available in the facility?
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Yes, it is.
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Are coin lockers available?
A
Yes.
Reviews
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Some reviews are AI-translated.
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I watched the dolphin, penguin, and sea lion shows. The show with the giant sea lion was especially fun!
You can really tell they put a lot of thought and creativity into the performances, even with a limited budget. I was really impressed. -
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The aquarium faces the Sea of Japan and is surrounded by nature. There's a fun dolphin show and a seal feeding time—both are must-see events!
Details
- Name in Japanese
- おたる水族館
- Postal Code
- 047-0047
- Address
- 3-303 Shukutsu, Otaru City, Hokkaido
- Telephone
- 0134-33-1400
- Closed
- Late February to mid-March, Late November to mid-December
- Business Hours
- 9:00am - 5:00pm（Admission allowed until 4:30pm）※varies by the season
- Admission
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Adults（high school students and older）1,800yen, Elementary and junior high school students 700yen, Toddler（Ages 3 and over）350yen
Winter Season: Adults（high school students and older）1,300yen, Elementary and junior high school students 500yen, Toddler（Ages 3 and over）300yen - Access
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(1) 25 minutes by Hokkaido Chuo Bus from JR Hakodate Main Line Otaru Station to the "Otaru Aquarium" bus stop, then a short walk.
(2) 20 minutes by sightseeing boat from Otaru Port, 3rd Pier to Shukutsu Port, then a 10-minute walk. - Credit Cards
- Accepted
- Official Website
- Official Website (English)