An aquarium where you can encounter the popular whale shark and dolphins
The Io World Kagoshima Aquarium is Kyushu’s largest aquarium using the 600km of ocean extending north and south off of Kagoshima Prefecture as a theme. Aside from the sea otter and Amazon tanks, the entire facility was created from the waters by Kagoshima Prefecture. In the main giant Kuroshio Tank which holds 1,500 tonnes of water, you can view sea life such as bonito, tuna and manta rays leisurely swimming about along with the whale shark which is only raised in 3 places around the world. In the Dolphin Pool, there is the popular event of Dolphin Time during which for 20 minutes every day, you can witness the dolphins’ way of life and physical form as they jump and swim about via commentary on multivision screens and underwater microphones. Also, another special feature of the aquarium is the ability to see the training of the dolphins in the 275m-long channel which links to the sea at high tide. There are also plenty of other events held daily such as the feeding of the seals and the South American arapaima which is the largest freshwater fish in the world, performances by electric eels and the feeding time for the whale shark.
The children’s sleepover at the aquarium is also a hit
In addition to everything else, for a limited time between June and November, there is a program in which sleepovers are possible at the aquarium with prior reservations. At the Dolphin Kitchen on the 2nd floor, you can leisurely enjoy meals and a café while taking in the view of the waterfront. There are 2 souvenir shops where you can purchase original goods such as stuffed animals and confections. From the 4th floor observation hall, you can get that superb view of Kinko Bay and the magnificent Sakurajima Island. There is also the display of a whole skeleton of the Longman’s beaked whale which can only be seen at this aquarium.