Culture/History
Get to know Kanagawa by touching the creatures at the aquarium!
Kanagawa Prefecture has many attractive aquariums. The concepts vary, such as an aquarium where you can interact with animals, an aquarium where you can learn about Kanagawa with the theme of Kanagawa's sea and nature, and an aquarium with a theme of freshwater fish from Kanagawa and around the world. It has a certain charm. Today, I would like to introduce some of the aquariums in Kanagawa Prefecture along with their characteristics.
Yokohama/Hakkeijima Sea Paradise
Yokohama Hakkeijima Sea Paradise has four aquariums: Dolphin Fantasy, Aqua Museum, Fureai Lagoon, and Umi Farm. (In addition to the aquarium, there are also many attraction facilities)
When entering Dolphin Fantasy's entrance, you will walk through an arched aquarium.
It seems that a baby dolphin was born on June 3rd, and it is a very heartwarming sight to see it swimming close to its mother. It seems that the baby dolphins are growing rapidly, so it may be a rare sight that can only be seen now.
The Aqua Museum is home to approximately 700 species and 120,000 items, including deep sea fish and cold sea animals. There are plenty of things to see, including polar bears and seals, a large aquarium with 50,000 sardines, the largest number in Japan, and dolphin shows.
At Umi Farm, you can learn about nature, the environment, and the importance of working towards the 5DGs in a fun and easy-to-understand way through the "marine education" experience. At the Fureai Lagoon, you can interact with a variety of animals, including bottlenose dolphins, beluga whales, penguins, and otters. I think the biggest feature is that there are so many different kinds of animals that you can interact with. At the Fureai Lagoon, you can experience many things that are hard to do, such as shaking hands with dolphins and feeding them.
[Official website] Yokohama Hakkeijima Sea Paradise
New Enoshima Aquarium
The Enoshima Aquarium is located about a 3-minute walk from Katase-Enoshima Station on the Odakyu Line, right in front of Katase Kaigan Nishihama, a famous beach. The aquarium opened in July 1954 and has a long history of 67 years.
It was originally called Enoshima Aquarium, but was renovated in 2004. The name has also been changed to "New Enoshima Aquarium". The building has two floors above ground and one floor underground, and exhibits dolphins, penguins, sea lions, many brightly colored fish from the Pacific Ocean, fantastic jellyfish, and creatures that live in the deep sea.
Among them, the Enoshima Aquarium's special feature is the exhibit about Sagami Bay, which is located right after you enter. The creatures of Sagami Bay, which are spread out in front of the aquarium, are introduced to the characteristics of each depth and the creatures that live there, allowing you to learn more about what kind of place Sagami Bay is. In addition, there are so many fish swimming leisurely in the Sagami Bay Large Aquarium that you will want to watch forever.
The second feature is that there are many materials on display that were researched by Emperor Showa and His Majesty the Retired Emperor. Materials related to Emperor Showa's research on Sagami Bay organisms and His Majesty the Emperor's research on gobies are on display.
The aquarium offers dolphin and sea lion shows, fish feeding, and manufacturing workshops, so you can have both fun and knowledgeable experiences.
[Official website] Enoshima Aquarium
Kawasui Kawasaki Aquarium
Kawasui Kawasaki Aquarium (hereinafter referred to as Kawasui) is located on the 9th and 10th floors of Kawasaki Le Fron, about a 1-minute walk from JR Kawasaki Station.
The waterfront areas of the Tama River Zone, Oceania/Asia Zone, South America Zone, and Amazon Zone are recreated, and the fish and animals that live there are exhibited. Rather than exhibiting a single species, the image is that the creatures that inhabit the area are living in the recreated waterside.
The concept is based on living things that live in freshwater water rather than in the sea, and the exhibit features detailed explanations of living things that live in the Tama River basin that runs through Kawasaki City.
Due to space constraints, there are no exhibits of large creatures, but dolphins and whales come to play in the panoramic screen zone with projection mapping, giving you the experience of being in the ocean. There are also events where the staff will give detailed explanations about the ecology and you can learn about the ecology that you would not normally know about.
[Official website] Kawasui Kawasaki Aquarium
Aburatsubo Marine Park
Aburatsubo Marine Park opened in April 1968 to commemorate Keikyu's 70th anniversary. In the exhibition facility called ``Fish Country,'' there is a large migratory aquarium with a sea of donuts. You can see many fish such as sawfish, sand rays, and bull sharks migrating leisurely. It's amazing to see so many fish swimming around you.
Also on display are specimens of megamouth sharks and giant squid, as well as academic dissection results.
Another must-see attraction is the dolphin and sea lion show held at the Phantasium. The program is rich in story-telling, and the one I watched was a story about taking over the world from Aburatsutsu. Dolphins and sea lions put on a flawless performance to take over the world.
There are also exhibits based on the concept of the local sea of Sagami and the nature of Miura, so you can learn about the characteristics of the sea of Sagami and the nature of Miura.
Please note that Aburatsubo Marine Park is scheduled to close on September 30, 2021 due to the significant deterioration of its buildings and equipment. Many people may have fond memories of Aburatsubo Marine Park, which has a history of 53 years. I would like to say ``Thank you'' to Aburatsubo Marine Park for creating so many wonderful memories.
[Official website] Keikyu Aburatsubo Marine Park
Kanagawa Aquarium has very local exhibits. There are many facilities where you can learn about the local sea, nature, and ecosystem, and I was able to learn about Kanagawa's geographical and natural characteristics. It is a very valuable experience to be able to learn about Kanagawa and the earth while interacting with fish and animals. Why not stop by and check it out?
