Kyoto Aquarium

When Kyoto Aquarium was opened in March 2012, many people questioned the wisdom of building an aquarium in this landlocked city.  Located far from the ocean and some distance from the nearest lakes and large rivers, the new aquarium seemed out of place in what most tourists consider to be the cultural capital of Japan.  With so many historical and cultural attractions in Kyoto, who would go to an aquarium?  And yet, by the end of 2014, this aquarium was visited by more than 5 million people.  A relatively small and compact facility, Kyoto Aquarium does a particularly good job in presenting the story of the freshwater aquatic environments found in the surrounding area.  The aquarium is organized into a number of zones focusing on different aquatic environments.  I will discuss them using the designated titles found on the aquarium map.

Rivers of Kyoto Zone

After entering the aquarium, the first exhibit the visitor encounters is dedicated to the natural stream environments in the Kyoto area.  The stars of this area are the Japanese Giant Salamander (Andrias japonicus), the Chinese Giant Salamander (Andrias davidianus) and their hybrids.  

Despite their rather grotesque appearance, these animals are quite popular among visitors.  And the glass-wall design of the exhibit allows visitors to get a very close look.

I think there were about eight individuals sleeping together in this pile of salamanders.

A separate exhibit in this zone featured many different types of fish native to Japan.  This exhibit had a simulated river flow, and it appeared to do a very good job of recreating a natural mountain stream environment.

Sea Animals (Mammals) Zone

This area features two large tanks with clear acrylic walls.  One houses six South American Fur Seals (Arctocephalus australis ) and the second houses two Larga Seals (Phoca largha ).

The exhibit is designed to resemble a rocky coastal environment.   

Visitors can view the seals very up close from many different angles.

The cubicle shown below allows visitors to even see the animals from below.

Despite the close proximity, the animals appeared to be accustomed to the crowds of people.

Penguin Zone

This zone features an indoor area with a large window allowing visitors to watch the African Penguins (Sphenicus demersus ) swim overhead. 

Visitors then walk outside and upstairs to where they can see the same penguins at close range through glass walls.

Main Pool

This large tank recreates the ocean environments surrounding Japan: the continental shelf, caves, tide pools, and even sand banks.  This enclosure features large and small fishes, sharks, rays, and sea turtles.  It is very impressive, and some visitors spend a good amount of time standing in front of this exhibit.

Another impressive feature of this aquarium is the water quality.  The water in the tanks, both the fresh water exhibits and the salt water exhibits, appear to be very clean.  Considering that this facility is so far from the ocean, this suggests the use of rather high-quality water filtering technology. 

Ocean Zone

This zone features an exhibit resembling a shore reef, and a series of tanks showcasing many different types of small invertebrates and jellyfishes.

Some of the exhibits were built at a height just right for small children.

Beauty of Nature Zone

This zone features smaller-sized tanks showing the environments of freshwater streams.  It is a very low-key, but very interesting display.

Countryside of Kyoto Zone

This outdoor zone replicates a stream flowing through an agricultural village.  There is a small rice paddy and a vegetable garden that are actually farmed, and the stream is home to small fishes, aquatic insects, and frogs.

There is also a shallow pool on the edge of this zone.  During the hotter seasons, small children use this as a wading pool.  I noticed that many parents were prepared with extra changes of clothes for their children.  This suggests that this feature is sufficiently well-known that families plan ahead to let their children get wet.

Dolphin Stadium

There were eight Bottlenose Dolphins (Tursiops truncatus) in residence in this zone.  Judging by the fact that the amount of space dedicated to this zone comprises about one-third of the physical area of the entire aquarium, it is probably safe to conclude that the presence of the dolphins is quite important to this facility.  Unfortunately, one gets the impression that the dolphins are utilized more as a tool of simple entertainment than of education. The dolphins participate in numerous shows each day, and the contents of the show I observed seemed to be more about their ability to perform clever circus-type tricks rather than about their biological characteristics and lifestyle in the wild. 

Another matter of concern is the size of the pools in which the dolphins live.  This zone was comprised of a large pool and three smaller holding pools. The main pool was probably about 50 meters wide by 20 meters from front to back.  The middle holding pool looked to be about 20 meters wide and about 8 meters from front to back. The two side holding pools appeared to be about 15 meters wide and about 8 meters from front to back.  Whether this amount of space is adequate for these eight large marine mammals is a matter open for debate.  Recently in some countries, the very concept of keeping cetaceans in captivity has grown into a heated disagreement.

Complicating matters, in April 2015, the World Association of Zoos and Aquariums (WAZA) temporarily suspended the membership of the Japanese Association of Zoos and Aquariums (JAZA) over a controversy related to the drive fishery method used to collect wild dolphins for sale to aquariums.  (WAZA reinstated JAZA’s membership after JAZA’s member zoos and aquariums voted to refrain from buying dolphins caught in drive fisheries.)  I don’t know whether the dolphins at Kyoto Aquarium were caught from the wild or were bred in captivity, but this controversy reportedly will make it more difficult for aquariums in Japan to acquire the number of dolphins they need for their unnecessary circus performances.  Perhaps in the near future, the “Dolphin Stadium” might be renamed the “Seal Stadium”.

Educational Efforts

There were many educational displays throughout the facility, including the type of identification signage typically found next to animal displays.

There were also more artistic arrangements like this one explaining the theorized evolution of penguins.

This illustrated panel located on the ramp outside of the penguin enclosure showed the world’s different types of penguin species and their respective sizes.

Opportunities for Animal Encounters

The exhibit in the “Fun Learning at the Beach” area in the Ocean zone looked like it was designed to be a touch tank, but on the particular day of my visit, I did not observe any animal touching events.  Considering the large crowd of people and the stress it can cause to the animals, I think that was a good thing.

 Food and Souvenirs

Next to the seals enclosure, there was a concession stand selling sandwiches, drinks, and shaved ice.  There was another concession next to the dolphin stadium and also one in the “Beauty of Nature” zone.  With respect to souvenirs, there was a temporary set up located on the second floor and a permanent full-scale shop on the first floor next to the exit.  There were many toys, trinkets, and branded snacks and cookies.

These Giant salamander plush toys were very popular – sufficient proof that a cute plush toy can improve the image of even a grotesque looking animal.

The Giant Salamander figures on these pens recreate how the salamanders like to pile upon each other.

For serious amphibian lovers: a life-sized Giant Salamander plush toy - only 25,720 yen.

Getting There

The Kyoto Aquarium is about a 10 to 15 minute walk from JR Kyoto train station.  After exiting the station’s central exit on the North side, head west towards Umekoji Park.  You will have to take a few left and right turns to maneuver around a few small blocks, so it is advisable to carry some type of map.  Admission was 2050 yen for adults, 1550 yen for university and high school students, 1000 yen for junior high school students and elementary school students, and 600 yen for children aged 3 and over who are not yet in school.

(Note: All photos taken in this post were taken during a visit on August 12, 2015.  The comments in this post are based on observations made on that day.  Conditions may have since changed.  Please check it out for yourself!)