Day 49 Kaiyukan Aquarium Osaka 3 March 2026

Описание: A Rainy‑Day Escape to Osaka and the Magnificent Kaiyukan Aquarium

After leaving Nijō Castle, I decided to make the most of the rainy weather and head to Osaka Aquarium Kaiyukan. Kyoto does have its own aquarium, but Kaiyukan is one of the largest aquariums in the world, and it felt like the perfect excuse to visit Osaka as well.

I made my way back to Kyoto Station, then took the JR line to Osaka. From there, it was an easy transfer to the Osaka Metro Chūō Line, which took me straight to Osakako Station, the stop for the aquarium. The journey was surprisingly smooth.

As I walked from the station toward the aquarium, I was delighted to see the enormous Tempozan Giant Ferris Wheel towering over the waterfront. I hadn’t realised it was located here. On a clear day, it offers views of Osaka Bay and even Mount Rokko, but with the rain still falling, I decided to save that for another time.

When I reached the aquarium ticket office, it was busy - no surprise on a rainy day. At the counter, I was told the next available entry time was 12:45, about an hour later. I bought my ticket and wandered into the neighbouring Tempozan Marketplace, a shopping and dining complex.

I found a small eatery serving gyūdon, thinly sliced beef simmered in a savoury sauce, served over rice with a bowl of miso soup. It was simple, warm, and delicious. Afterwards, I treated myself to a sakura‑flavoured ice cream from Baskin Robbins - sweet, floral, and very seasonal.

I had a quick browse around the shops, including the LEGO store, which has certainly evolved since my childhood, and become much more expensive!

When it was time to enter, we first passed through a tunnel‑like walkway with fish swimming on both sides and even overhead. Then a long escalator carried us up to the 8th floor, where the real journey began.

Kaiyukan is designed as a spiral descent through the ecosystems of the Pacific Rim, from the surface down into the deep sea. The layout is brilliant - immersive, atmospheric, and beautifully organised.

The centrepiece is the enormous Pacific Ocean tank, one of the largest single aquarium tanks in the world:

• 9 metres deep
• 34 metres long
• 5,400 tons of water
• Around 1,500 sea creatures from 60 species

This is home to the aquarium’s superstars:

• Kai, a male whale shark (about 4 m long)
• Yu, a female whale shark (about 5 m long)

Whale sharks are the largest fish species on Earth, and watching them glide past with such grace was breathtaking. Sharing the tank were:

• scalloped hammerhead sharks
• spotted eagle rays
• humphead wrasse
• countless shimmering fish

I could have sat in front of this tank for hours, it was utterly mesmerising.

Each zone represents a different ecosystem around the Pacific Ring of Fire. Some highlights:

• Japan Forest - playful Asian small‑clawed otters and salamanders
• Monterey Bay - sea lions and harbour seals
• Ecuador Rainforest - giant pirarucu and red piranha
• Antarctica - dignified king penguins
• Tasman Sea - lively Pacific white‑sided dolphins
• Japan Deep - eerie Japanese spider crabs
• Falkland Islands - rockhopper penguins with their cheeky yellow eyebrows
• Maldives Touch Pool - a gentle hands‑on area where visitors can touch rays and small sharks

Every zone was beautifully designed and educational, with excellent viewing angles from multiple depths.

Two areas stood out:

Jellyfish Galaxy: A dark, dreamlike hall filled with glowing jellyfish tanks. Soft lighting and slow movement made it feel like drifting through space.

Arctic Zone: Home to the adorable ringed seals, who peeked out with the sweetest expressions. They were a clear crowd favourite.

After 5 pm, the aquarium transforms into a “moonlit ocean” with dimmer lighting and fewer crowds. The tanks take on a magical glow, and the whale sharks look even more majestic in the soft blue light.

I took nearly 300 photos and videos, far too many to share individually, so I’ve created two separate videos - one of the photos and one of the video clips, and as usual, they will be available on my YouTube channel.

Kaiyukan was absolutely worth the trip, especially on a rainy day. The layout, the atmosphere, the variety of marine life, and the sheer scale of the Pacific tank make it one of the most impressive aquariums I’ve ever visited. I could easily have spent the entire day watching the whale sharks glide by.