Enoshima Aquarium, often affectionately called “Enosui,” is located in Shonan Coastal Park, with views of Mount Fuji to the north and Sagami Bay and Enoshima to the west. Set beside the beautiful Shonan coastline, it offers visitors an opportunity to discover the fascinating marine life of the region.
The aquarium is more than a place to look at aquatic animals and specimens. It also incorporates elements of edutainment, allowing visitors to learn about marine life through enjoyable, interactive experiences.
Among its highlights are the enormous Sagami Bay Tank, where a school of approximately 8,000 Japanese sardines swims in constantly changing formations; the Deep-Sea Corner, which introduces mysterious creatures from the ocean depths; and the Jellyfish Fantasy Hall, where visitors can admire the graceful movements of jellyfish. Dolphin and sea lion performances are also popular attractions, while the Nagisa Experience Learning Center offers opportunities for hands-on learning.
Its location beside the Shonan coast makes the aquarium an excellent place to combine marine discovery with sightseeing and seaside activities.
The Sagami Bay Zone introduces the rich marine environment of Sagami Bay, which is home to an extraordinary variety of fish and other aquatic life. Through its displays, visitors can discover part of the diverse ecosystem found in the waters off the Shonan coast.
In the rocky-shore exhibits, visitors can observe rays and sharks at close range. There are also displays about coral, including explanations of the differences between corals that contain symbiotic algae and those that do not.
Sagami Bay has a varied underwater landscape, extending from shallow coastal waters to the deep sea. As visitors follow the gently sloping passage through the exhibits, they encounter representations of this changing marine environment before reaching the enormous main tank.
The sloping route recreates the appearance of rocky seabeds and swaying seaweed, giving visitors the impression of gradually descending beneath the ocean’s surface. There are also attractive places along the route where visitors can take commemorative photographs.
In one section, an overhanging tank allows natural light to enter the exhibit. This creates the sensation of walking beneath the sea while looking into the underwater world.
The Sagami Bay Great Tank is one of the aquarium’s main attractions. Measuring approximately 9 meters high and 12 meters wide, it houses more than 90 species and approximately 20,000 marine creatures.
The most impressive sight is the enormous school of silvery Japanese sardines. Approximately 8,000 fish swim together, changing the shape and direction of their school as they move through the water. Watching the shimmering mass of fish turn and flow in unison is a memorable experience.
Two performances are held daily in the tank area. One of them is the diving show, “Fins.” During the performance, visitors can sit in the viewing area in front of the tank and watch aquarium staff enter the water to introduce the marine environment.
The aquarium’s expert animal-care staff use underwater cameras while diving into the tank. They explain the behavior and characteristics of the animals in an accessible way and answer visitors’ questions, making the presentation both informative and entertaining.
The Dolphin Show Stadium is set in a scenic location offering panoramic views of Enoshima, Mount Fuji, and the Shonan coastline. Daily performances feature dolphins together with the aquarium’s animal-care and presentation staff, known as Enosui Trainers.
Visitors can enjoy the dolphins’ lively movements and performances against the backdrop of the sea and surrounding landscape. Paid programs are also available in which visitors can shake hands with a dolphin and take a photograph.
At Sea Turtle Beach, visitors can take part in a paid program called “Touch a Sea Turtle.” Participants have the opportunity to feed vegetables to green sea turtles and take photographs with them.
Green sea turtles mainly feed on seaweed and are known for their calm swimming movements. The sea turtle deck also offers beautiful views of Mount Fuji, making it a pleasant place to observe the turtles and enjoy the coastal scenery.
Enoshima Aquarium is one of Japan’s leading aquariums for jellyfish exhibits and has a long history of presenting these fascinating marine creatures.
Inside the Jellyfish Fantasy Hall, colorful jellyfish float through spherical tanks, appearing to dance gracefully in the water. Benches are provided so visitors can sit and quietly admire the displays. The hall is designed as a relaxing space where the gentle movements of the jellyfish can be appreciated from several viewing points.
Jellyfish have neither a brain nor a heart. They drift through the ocean as plankton, moving with the currents rather than swimming against them. Without water currents, they cannot remain suspended in the same way.
The hall also features a projection-mapping presentation, one of the aquarium’s signature attractions. When the show begins, light and sound effects accompany images of floating jellyfish, transforming the entire space into an immersive visual experience.
Projections extend across the walls and ceiling, surrounding visitors in a 360-degree display. The combination of moving images, light, and sound creates an artistic and fantastical atmosphere in which visitors may momentarily forget that they are inside an aquarium.
In addition to its major exhibits, the aquarium features displays that introduce the world of shirasu, or young sardines and anchovies, as well as exhibits exploring the deep sea.
The shirasu display follows the development of these fish from their early juvenile stage through their growth. The source article describes it as a world-first exhibition, offering a rare opportunity to learn about the stages of their development.
The deep-sea area introduces visitors to creatures that live in the dark, high-pressure environment far below the ocean’s surface. It also presents information about the challenges of keeping deep-sea organisms alive over extended periods.
The aquarium conducts joint research with the Japan Agency for Marine-Earth Science and Technology (JAMSTEC), including research into long-term methods for keeping deep-sea organisms in captivity.
Another major exhibit is the manned research submersible Shinkai 2000. Designed to carry a crew of three, the vessel is displayed as though it were a rocket ready to descend into the depths of the ocean.
Seeing the actual submersible provides a fascinating introduction to the technology used to explore the deep sea. Together with the deep-sea animal exhibits and research displays, it helps visitors understand the scientific work involved in investigating the largely unexplored world beneath the ocean.
From the vast school of sardines in the Sagami Bay Great Tank to the graceful jellyfish, dolphins, sea turtles, and deep-sea exhibits, Enoshima Aquarium offers a wide range of experiences for visitors of all ages.
Its combination of marine science, interactive programs, animal presentations, and beautiful coastal views makes it an appealing destination for families, couples, and anyone interested in the ocean. A visit can also be combined with a walk around Enoshima or other attractions along the Shonan coastline.
March-November 9:00-17:00 *Subject to change during spring holidays and summer vacation
December - February: 10:00 - 17:00 *Subject to change during the year-end and New Year holidays
Open all year round (but may be closed temporarily for facility inspections, etc.)
Adults 2,500 yen
High school students 1,700 yen
Junior high school and elementary school students 1,200 yen
Infants (3 years and older) 800 yen
Train:
3 minutes on foot from Katase Enoshima Station on the Odakyu Enoshima Line
10 minutes on foot from Enoshima Station on the Enoden Line
10 minutes on foot from Shonan Monorail Shonan Enoshima Station
Car:
Approximately 24 km from the Atsugi IC of the Tomei Expressway via Route 129/134