A one-minute walk from the station! Entertainment that takes you on a journey around the world's waterfronts

A world of art to visit, see and feel
File.29 Kawasui Kawasaki Aquarium
Miyuki Inoue (Magcal Editorial Department)

It's the season when I miss the waterside.
I'm not a good swimmer, but watching the fish swimming comfortably in the water somehow calms me down.

A new aquarium has just opened that we would love to introduce to everyone who shares this same sentiment. It's located inside the commercial facility "Kawasaki Le Front," just a one- minute walk from JR Kawasaki Station. First, head to the 10th floor where the ticket counter is located!

There are daytime and evening sessions, and the evening session is open until 10:00 (last entry one hour before), so you can easily drop in after work. The cafe next to the entrance sells original soft serve ice cream, popcorn, Kawasaki craft beer, and more. Eating and drinking is allowed inside the building, so it would be fun to enjoy a stroll along the waterfront with a beer in hand.

The "Prologue" that continues from the entrance features a monochrome chalk art depiction of a tropical rainforest. Suddenly, a tiger appears from between the trees and a colorful bird takes flight, making you exclaim, "Wow!" The presentation, which makes full use of cutting-edge lighting, sound, and video technology, is captivating!

The first of the six zones of the exhibition is the Tama River Zone, which is themed around the creatures living in the river that flows through the local area of Kawasaki.

The first three tanks that catch your eye display creatures from the upper, middle, and lower reaches of the river, creating a realistic reproduction of the current ecosystem of the Tama River.
The Tama River was once seriously polluted, but in recent years sweetfish have begun to swim upstream. At the same time, invasive species have also taken up residence there, which made me think about the impact that human life has on the river's ecosystem.

The video playing in the background shows the Tama River scenery, shot by drone. It starts from the lush green source, goes down the stream, and ends near the mouth of the river, lined with buildings. It's moving to see the flow of the Tama River as a "journey."

The next zone, the Oceania/Asia Zone, displays not only freshwater fish such as the Mekong giant catfish, one of the world's largest, but also three-horned leaf frogs and sugar gliders.

Africa is said to be the oldest landmass in the world, and the creatures there are quite unique. You can experience the wonders of life, such as fish that swim upside down and fish that can survive without water.

By the way, instead of explanatory panels, the exhibits are equipped with QR codes that, when scanned with a smartphone or tablet, display the names and characteristics of the creatures on display.

South America, home to the Amazon River, is home to the world's largest tropical rainforest, and one area worth noting is the Pantanal Area, a World Heritage Site known as a "treasure trove of biological species." Footage shot in the Amazon River basin plays in the background of the tank, and the lighting and sound change depending on the time of day, from morning to afternoon and evening, creating a truly magical experience.

The huge aquarium, filled with 40 tons of water, displays around 8,000 sparkling underwater creatures, including neon tetras. Its U-shape makes it feel like you're in the water when you stand in the middle.

Before proceeding to the next zone, take a break at Komorebi Cafe. They have a photogenic menu, including colorful original sweets and Pirarucu Coconut Curry made with Amazonian fish.
There is also a "kids room" next door.

Next, we went to the Panorama Screen Zone, which features a dynamic 200-degree wide-angle screen, where we could see river dolphins and manatees that live in the Amazon River swimming comfortably.
Although it's a digital image, when you approach the screen, the river dolphins will come over, wave their hands, and spin around! This is cutting-edge technology, and it's amazing! Try it out and pretend you're a dolphin trainer to see what movements they respond to.

Next up is the Lençóis Area. It is a vast sand dune area that actually exists in Brazil, where countless emerald green lakes appear only during the rainy season. What's strange is that when the lakes appear, fish also appear. I wonder how they spend their time during the dry season...? I gazed at the beautiful fish that stood out against the white sand and let my thoughts wander into this mysterious world.

The Agua Lab, which gives a glimpse behind the scenes at the aquarium, is a project unique to Kawasui. It's fascinating to see the displays of equipment such as breeding supplies, spare tanks, a rain mist water server for the Amazon zone, an Amazon rain mist unit, and a filtration circulation pump. Backstage tours are also planned for the future, so look forward to them.

The Amazon Zone is an open space that makes use of the atrium between the 9th and 10th floors. A watering hole for the animals has been set up among the trees, and you can see capybaras bathing in the tank. The jungle creatures are currently preparing to get used to their new environment, but once the exhibit opens, you may be able to see birds flying about in the jungle. Events such as feeding capybaras are also planned.
*Please check the official website for event dates.

The five aquariums are home to the world's largest freshwater fish, the arapaima, and piranhas, swimming leisurely.
Apparently they will also recreate the rain showers that descend on the rainforest and the mist that envelops the plants, so I want to "experience" the Amazon with my whole body.

Not only in the Amazon Zone, but also next to the aquariums, there are touchscreens. This is an exhibition system called "LINNÉ LENS Screen" (developed and provided by Linne Co., Ltd.), which uses AI to analyze underwater camera footage in real time and automatically displays the species names and descriptions of the creatures in the aquarium. This cutting-edge technology was introduced by Kawasui for the first time in the world.

Currently, the touch function cannot be used due to COVID-19 countermeasures, but being able to check information about the creatures swimming in the aquarium in real time is truly revolutionary!

The final treat is the Kawasui Official Shop.

It's packed with unique original products and other unique goods that only Kawa-Sui can offer. It's open to those who don't visit the aquarium, so it's fun to visit to find a new souvenir from Kanagawa.

Kawasui has introduced the "Crowded Indicator" service ( developed and provided by Locoguide Co., Ltd. ) , which will display the aquarium's congestion status in three levels - "empty," "slightly crowded," and "crowded" - in real time on the official website, the Kawasui app, and on the LED screen on the first floor of Kawasaki Le Front. Other COVID-19 infection prevention measures will also be taken. Please refer to the Kawasui official website for details.

*Image of the "Congestion Lamp" displayed on Kawasui's official website