What other travelers are saying about Osaka Aquarium Kaiyukan
To be honest, based on what I saw in articles, I expected more. There's a lot of exhibits, but it's tough to see anything. Too many people crowd up each area. Once go further down into the exhibits, then it starts to open up more. There's lots of really cool exhibits of seals, white-sided dolphins, Penguins, Piranhas, etc. The main draw is the huge tank exhibit that centers the entire aquarium. Two whale sharks swimming elegantly, tons of other sharks swimming around as well. Giant manta rays, sting rays and other special fish share the same tank. You're basically going in a spiral path around the main tank. If you collect Eki Stamps, there's a bunch asking the way through the exhibits. The gift shops are okay. But the surrounding area is pretty cool too. Like the giant Ferris Wheel, the shopping mall and some nice site seeing boat rides. I give this place a wooo!
The best aquarium I’ve ever been to! There are so many kinds of fish, all displayed in very interesting sections. You can learn a lot here, and it’s a great place to bring kids. There’s a wide variety of fish from different waters — really impressive! I spent more than 2 hours here and still didn’t feel bored at all.
I highly recommend buying the ticket from their website instead of at the counter — the line can be super long, and having the online ticket saved me hours of waiting!
Fascinating! Great collection of various species. Very interesting!
We didn't have a reservation, so we had to wait around 1,5h to enter. Good point that you don't have to wait all this time in the queue (they sell tickets for specific time slot and the queue for that is very fast, I think we spent less than 10 minutes to buy the tickets). There is a market nearby(~3 mins by feet) where you can have lunch while waiting.
Sometimes it gets a bit crowded inside, especially in front of the aquariums with some interesting kind of fish but if you wait just a bit, you can fully enjoy the view :)
This is easily one of the best aquariums we’ve visited. It took us about 3 hours to walk through and explore, and we got to see a wide variety of aquatic species.
They also offer a stamp rally, which was a fun bonus. Be sure to bring a blank passport book or some paper so you can collect all the stamps. It's a nice little keepsake to remember your trip.
We loved our visit here! Lots of animals who seem very well cared for. There is a huuuge central tank with sharks and other fish in which you can see from various angles - it is great to see these big fish have so much space to move and swim. We enjoyed the kids stamp rally here too which was a nice extra. The gift shop was also lovely and very well priced.
Yes, Osaka Aquarium Kaiyukan is often considered worth a visit, especially for marine life enthusiasts and families. It is one of the largest and most impressive aquariums in the world, showcasing a wide variety of aquatic species from the Pacific Rim in well-designed, engaging habitats. The aquarium provides educational insights into marine ecosystems and offers a unique opportunity to observe rare species up close, making it a captivating experience for visitors of all ages.
The amount of time spent at Osaka Aquarium Kaiyukan can vary depending on your interest level, but generally, visitors spend about 2 to 3 hours exploring the exhibits. The aquarium is designed in a spiral pattern, allowing you to observe different habitats as you descend from the eighth floor to the ground level. To fully enjoy and appreciate the diverse marine life and exhibits, allocating a few hours is recommended.
While Kaiyukan is one of the largest aquariums globally, it is not the largest. It is, however, one of the most spectacular, with significant volumes of water and numerous marine species on display. The aquarium is particularly famous for its impressive Pacific Ocean tank. Other larger aquariums exist around the world, but Kaiyukan remains a standout for its design and the variety of species exhibited.
Osaka Aquarium Kaiyukan is one of the largest public aquariums in the world. It houses 15 large tanks, each representing a specific region of the Pacific Rim, with the central tank representing the Pacific Ocean. This central tank alone holds 5,400 cubic meters of water. The total water volume of all exhibits exceeds 11,000 cubic meters, and the facility showcases various marine and freshwater species.
To avoid crowds, it's best to visit Osaka Aquarium Kaiyukan early in the morning or later in the afternoon, closer to the closing time. Weekdays are typically less crowded than weekends. Also, visiting during feeding times can be particularly interesting, as you get to see more active behavior from the marine life. However, it's advisable to check the aquarium's official website for the latest information on opening hours, feeding times, and any special events that might affect your visit.
