Had such a great time checking out the aquarium at Ocean Expo Park! It’s super easy to get to—only about an hour’s drive from central Naha, so definitely manageable for a day or afternoon trip.
The place feels very spacious and gives you plenty of room to explore all the different marine life. The main attraction is hands-down the whale shark—it is absolutely massive, and seeing it up close in real life is wild! Beyond the main tank, they also have a ton of unique and rare species that marine life lovers will really appreciate.
While the park itself isn't overwhelmingly huge, it’s the perfect size for a relaxed, fruitful afternoon. Highly recommend stopping by if you’re in Okinawa!
Okinawa Churaumi Aquarium is Okinawa’s top attraction, famous for its massive Kuroshio Sea tank featuring a legendary whale shark resident since 1995.
The Ultimate Highlight: Home to Jinta, a magnificent whale shark who has lived here since 1995, holding the world record for the longest-surviving whale shark in an aquarium.
Diverse Displays: Features an impressive variety of tanks showcasing everything from vibrant coral reefs to mysterious deep-sea creatures.
Outdoor Dolphin Show: Includes a delightful, family-friendly dolphin show set against a beautiful ocean backdrop at the outdoor theater.
Plan Your Visit: The facility is massive; you will definitely need **more than 2 hours** to explore and enjoy everything it has to offer.
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One of the best aquariums in Japan and a must-visit attraction in Okinawa. The massive Kuroshio Sea tank is truly breathtaking, with whale sharks, manta rays, and countless colorful fish swimming gracefully together. The exhibits are beautifully designed, taking visitors on a journey from vibrant coral reefs to the mysterious deep sea. It can get quite crowded, but it’s definitely worth visiting. A memorable experience for visitors of all ages.
Okinawa Churaumi Aquarium, located in Motobu within Ocean Expo Park on Okinawa Island, is one of Japan’s most famous aquariums and is best known for its massive Kuroshio Sea tank, which recreates the ocean current around Okinawa and holds whale sharks, manta rays, and large schools of fish in a viewing panel that feels like a living wall of the ocean. The aquarium is designed as a journey through different marine environments, from colourful coral reef displays in sunlit open-air tanks to deep-sea species found in the waters around Okinawa, many of which are rarely seen in captivity. Outside the main building, visitors can also see dolphin shows, sea turtles, and manatees, making it a full marine park experience rather than just an indoor aquarium.
We arrived at around 10.45 am on a Monday and managed to park at the multi storey car park without much difficulty. Even though it was raining throughout the day, the attraction was still very crowded. We booked our tickets via Klook, which allowed us to skip the ticketing queue completely and simply scan the QR code at the entrance.
Inside, there were many visitors everywhere, which sometimes made it difficult to take time to read the information panels about the marine life. However, we were still able to enjoy the beautifully designed aquariums, especially the massive main tank which was a highlight of the visit.
We also managed to catch the dolphin show at 1.00 pm. It is recommended to head to the Okichan Theatre early to secure a good seat as it gets filled quickly.
There are several food options available on site, ranging from buffets to food trucks and snack bars. Toilets are plentiful and the facility is also very accessible for wheelchair users and families with young children.
Overall, it was a very worthwhile visit and definitely a must see attraction when in Okinawa.
Beautiful aquarium with many species of fish, sharks and much more. I feel that the building is a little run down.
There is also a dolphin show and feeding exhibit which you can visit for free but you need to pay for food (¥500) if you wish to feed the dolphins.
There is also a sea elephant exhibit showing the growth and life of one of the babies.
There are plenty of vending machines and stalls/shacks that sell refreshments, food and snacks.
There is a large souvenir shop that sells a variety of goods including plushies, keychains etc. But usually has a long line for the cashier.
More about Okinawa Churaumi Aquarium from our blog
