Toba Aquarium, located in Toba City, Mie Prefecture, is one of Japan’s largest aquariums. The indoor facility measures approximately 240 meters in length, with about 1.5 kilometers of visitor pathways. It is divided into 12 zones designed around different natural habitats and is home to approximately 1,200 species of marine and other aquatic life.
Highlights include lively sea lion performances and rare animals such as dugongs, often associated with legends of mermaids, as well as sea otters, finless porpoises, Baikal seals, Commerson’s dolphins, and African manatees. The aquarium offers visitors of all ages an opportunity to discover the extraordinary diversity of aquatic life.
Toba Aquarium first opened on May 15, 1955, as Japan’s 26th aquarium. It was established by Maruko Suisan and began as a modest, handmade facility consisting of four sections within a pond covering approximately 200 tsubo, or about 660 square meters. Its early residents included penguins, sea lions, sea bream, and yellowtail. Employees of the founding company also helped operate the aquarium, and admission originally cost 20 yen, with half-price tickets for children.
As its popularity grew, Toba Aquarium continued to expand. It moved to its present location on July 2, 1990, and the entire new facility officially opened on April 10, 1994. The new building was designed and supervised by Taisei Corporation.
In April 1996, the aquarium launched its official website and began online sales. Over the decades, it has become a beloved destination for families and other visitors from across Japan and abroad, welcoming tens of millions of guests throughout its history. Its cumulative visitor milestones included 55 million visitors in August 2009, 55,555,555 visitors in 2010, and 60 million visitors in 2015.
Toba Aquarium features 12 zones that recreate a variety of natural environments, from ocean habitats to freshwater rivers. Each area introduces visitors to different species and ecosystems.
The aquarium’s sea lion performance stadium offers entertaining presentations featuring these intelligent marine mammals. In the Kingdom of Marine Mammals, visitors can see large marine animals such as Steller sea lions and seals.
The Ancient Seas zone explores the world of prehistoric marine life. Displays include ancient fish and video presentations about the coelacanth, a remarkable fish often described as a living fossil.
In the Coral Reef Diving zone, visitors can encounter colorful marine life, including the impressive Napoleon wrasse and sea turtles. The exhibits introduce the diversity of life found in coral reef environments.
The Sea of Mermaids is particularly famous for its dugong exhibit. Toba Aquarium is known as the only aquarium in Japan to exhibit dugongs. One of its most notable residents is Serena, a dugong presented to Japan by the Philippine government in 1987. Visitors may also see an adult green sea turtle known as Kamekichi.
The Polar Seas zone features animals adapted to cold environments, including sea otters, Commerson’s dolphins, and Baikal seals. These exhibits offer a glimpse into the remarkable ways marine mammals and other aquatic animals survive in challenging climates.
The Rivers of Japan zone introduces freshwater species found in Japanese rivers, including yamame trout. In the Water Corridor, visitors can observe birds and small mammals such as pink-backed pelicans and Asian small-clawed otters.
The Strange Creatures Laboratory is one of the aquarium’s most distinctive attractions. It showcases animals with unusual shapes, behaviors, and adaptations, including giant isopods, frogfish, and sea pens.
The giant isopod exhibit attracted widespread attention because one individual, nicknamed No. 1-tan, went without eating for an exceptionally long period. After 1,869 days without food, it died on February 14, 2014. The case drew considerable public interest and made the aquarium even more widely known.
Toba Aquarium was founded by Yukiaki Nakamura, who later served as its director. Inspired by advice from Keizo Shibusawa, Nakamura aimed to create an aquarium that would contribute not only to public entertainment but also to scientific research and education.
After stepping down as director, Nakamura continued supporting the institution as honorary director. He passed away on March 12, 2024, at the age of 96. His vision helped shape the aquarium’s long-standing commitment to education, research, and introducing the public to the wonders of aquatic life.
Toba Aquarium actively works to protect and raise rare marine animals, including species threatened with extinction. Its achievements include the birth of a finless porpoise calf and the birth of what was described as Japan’s first second-generation sea otter. The aquarium has also recorded major milestones in dugong care, including a reported world record of 11,475 days in captivity, as well as notable records for keeping nautiluses.
These accomplishments have helped establish Toba Aquarium as an institution of international interest in the care, study, and conservation of aquatic animals.
The aquarium welcomes large numbers of visitors each year and hosts a variety of events. One of its most unusual traditions is the Underwater Entrance Ceremony, in which new employees participate in a company induction ceremony inside an aquarium tank. The event reached its 17th edition in 2024 and has become a popular attraction for spectators.
Toba Aquarium is also known as the location where sea otters were first filmed in Japan. Footage recorded there was used in the background visuals for “Itazu Rakkō,” a song featured on NHK’s children’s music program Minna no Uta.
From rare marine mammals and fascinating deep-sea creatures to interactive exhibits and educational programs, Toba Aquarium offers an engaging experience for visitors of all ages. Its combination of entertainment, research, and conservation provides an opportunity to appreciate the diversity of aquatic life and learn more about the importance of protecting the natural world.