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Osaka Aquarium Kaiyukan

4.4 (200)AquariumTourist AttractionPoint Of InterestEstablishment

Osaka Aquarium Kaiyukan, situated in the Minato ward of Osaka, stands out as one of the world's most expansive and innovative public aquariums. This facility takes visitors on an aquatic journey through various regions of the Pacific Rim, each tank representing a specific area of the Pacific Ocean.

The aquarium's layout is designed to take visitors on a descending spiral path, allowing them to view marine life from different depths and perspectives. One of the main highlights is the massive central tank, which simulates the Pacific Ocean environment and houses awe-inspiring whale sharks alongside a diverse array of other marine species.

Osaka Aquarium Kaiyukan is home to around 30,000 creatures encompassing 620 species, including otters, dolphins, penguins, jellyfish, and rays, presented in 15 tanks, each focusing on a specific region of the Pacific Rim. The "Japan Forest" tank, designed to resemble the Japanese woodland, and the "Antarctic" tank, home to playful penguins, are among the visitor favorites.

The aquarium is not just about observation; it's an educational experience, offering insights into marine ecosystems and the importance of conservation. For a more interactive experience, visitors can opt for the Kaiyukan's touch pool or take a behind-the-scenes tour to learn more about marine life and the workings of an aquarium.

Hours:

9:00 AM to 8:00 PM

Closed:

Open all year, except January 8th and 9th, 2025​

Available:

All year

Minimum Age:

All ages are welcome

Fees:

Adults (16+): 2,700 yen

Children (7-15): 1,400 yen

Young children (3-6): 700 yen

Toddlers (2 and under): Free


Hours
Monday: 10:00 AM – 8:00 PM
Tuesday: 10:00 AM – 8:00 PM
Wednesday: 10:00 AM – 8:00 PM
Thursday: 10:00 AM – 8:00 PM
Friday: 10:00 AM – 8:00 PM
Saturday: 9:30 AM – 8:00 PM
Sunday: 9:30 AM – 8:00 PM
Phone
+81 6-6576-5501
Website
www.kaiyukan.com

The area

Address
1-chōme-1-10 Kaigandōri, Minato Ward, Osaka, 552-0022, Japan

What other travelers are saying about Osaka Aquarium Kaiyukan

A great aquarium with a massive ocean tank in the centre of it. I really liked the way you take an escalator all the way to the top floor, then walk a corridor that descends in a spiral around the ocean tank. This gives you a unique and changing pespective of the creatures in that tank. While you follow the corridor, there are smaller tanks and exhibits along the outside of the corridor. When you get to the bottom, there are several other interesting exhibits, and of course, the two gift shops. I did feel a bit confined while in the corridor, as it is not very wide, or tall, and it's dark. It was also quite crowded when I was there. I found the cost of entry to be reasonable especially when compared to what I pay at our local Vancouver Aquarium. Overall, a worthwhile experience.
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Rick Parsons
Mar 31, 2025
Awesome experience and can totally recommend! Worth the whole ticket price 🎟️ the layout of the building was great and easy to follow, and they had a website so you could read more about the animals(some in more detail than others). There is quite a lot of people even in the weekdays, but If you can't find a spot to see into the big Pacific tank, then just continue down and there will be more room. The windows continue all the way to the bottom. I couldn't get the online tickets to work so I went in line, however it moves quickly. When I got my ticket I had to wait 15 min before my timed entrance.
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Emsenov
Apr 12, 2025
Had all different sorts of cool sea life, the whale shark is the biggest thing. They all look happy and comfortable in their habitats it's clear they take very good care of them. Beautiful to watch. I personally sat in a chair at the bottom floor of the aquarium for 10 minutes just staring.
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Uri-Jaun Hall
Apr 10, 2025
Very cool aquarium! It was very crowded and many exhibits were so busy I could not get close enough to see the animals. Further in, it was less crowded and I was much less frustrated. They have a huge tank with some whale sharks, sunfish, rays, and other large fish and sharks. While this tank takes up a good portion of the zoo, the creatures are so cool I didn't mind.
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Amber Kosloski
Apr 13, 2025
I absolutely loved the aquarium! It was so amazing and the whale sharks and other animals were so amazing to see. They obviously take very good care of all of them and we even got to see the workers feed them! Super awesome experience and I would absolutely go again ❤️ But make sure to reserve tickets!! We did and skipping that super long line was worth it
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Bailey Everitt
Mar 16, 2025


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