Osaka Aquarium Kaiyukan

One of the best aquariums I've been to, but honestly, I haven't been to very many to make a comparison. At ¥2300 for admissions, it is a reasonable price for how much you see and how much time you can spend at the aquarium. The biggest attraction is obviously the whale shark, but I was most impressed by the layout of the aquarium itself.the large tank with the whale shark and other fishes are centered in the middle and the path in which you walk spirals downward, so you get a glimpse of this magnificent whale shark at every angle. On the outskirts of this tank are the other exhibits like jellyfish, tropics, reptiles, seals, etc. it's a very easy walk-through and I think I saw everything in a span of 2-3 hours. The gift shop is located right at entrance/exit. Plenty of plushies, pillows, socks and other gifts to buy. I bought a few keychains of the whale shark because they are absolutely adorable and you can't fine them anywhere else. Definitely worth checking out. It's a total date spot with many couples and families. The surrounding city is really quaint and quiet, but we didn't stick around long enough to venture around. Hopefully the weather is much more favorable than rainy and windy for you!

If you're visiting Osaka do not miss this aquarium! It was by far the best aquarium I've visited to date. The set up was easy to navigate, it was interactive, the animals in the tank (referring to dolphins and sea lions, etc) seem really healthy & more importantly happy! This aquarium is on top of keeping the tanks clean. They have divers every day to scrub the tanks! I had saw a documentary on Japan's aquariums, and I must say I was impressed when I saw it in person too! The diver holds a brush in one hand and a plunger like suction to keep him in place longer for scrubbing. I went on a weekday but during summer break so it was crowded with tourists & families, I didn't see anything wrong with that! It's a public aquarium, people go there to learn & see, I don't understand the complaints about it being crowded like you expect VIP treatment or something. They have 2-3 feeding times per day, please try to catch as many as you can because these feeding times are what makes the experience that much more amazing. I'm an adult and have been to my fair share of aquariums here in the states, never seen anything like this in the states. From what I have read on reviews of the aquarium in Georgia, tickets cost more than Osaka, you have to pay extra to see things like feedings, etc. At the Kaiyukuan, you can also experience the feel of a sting ray, eagle ray, etc. My partner and I throughly enjoyed our visit here, make sure to allow 2-4 hours there.

Large aquarium, with some amazing creatures. 2000 yen. Went on a Sunday and it was insanely crowded. Cool water tube at the entrance. You can also get a Japanese guide downloaded onto your DS.