Osaka Aquarium aka Kaiyukan(海遊館), is well-known as the world’s largest aquarium and the beloved signature whale shark “Kai-kun” is a must-meet there.
Kaiyukan has a unique design building,
Visitors go up to the 8th floor first, and spiral down around the center large water tank, so they can have different views while looking up & down marine lives in the same tank, and also there are other 13 water tanks to meet lots of marine lives.
It can be true to say that the aquarium is the most attractive spot for visitors in the bay area, however, there are more things to do in the same area called “Tempozan Harbor Village” (天保山ハーバービレッジ).
Let’s find out what you can do in the Osaka bay area.
Check the business hours of each facility in advance due to COVID-19.
Osaka Aquarium; Kaiyukan
General Information
| Opening Hours | 10:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. * Last admission is one hour before the closing time. * The opening hours vary by season |
| Ticket Prices | ¥ |
| • Adult (over aged 16) | 2,400 |
| • Senior (over aged 65) | 2,200 |
| • Student (between 6 and 15) | 1,200 |
| • Child (aged 3 – 6) | 600 |
| • Child (under 2) | Free |
1-1-10 Kaigandori, Minato-ku, Osaka, 552-0022
Tel: +81-6-6576-5501
The Access From Popular Osaka Place By Osaka Metro
By The Water Shuttle
From Universal Studios Japan
Take the water shuttle, “Captain Line”, form Universal City Port for about 10 min. ride.
The Access from KIX
• By Railways
• By Shuttle Limousine
There is the airport shuttle limousine to the aquarium, take one toward “Universal Studios Japan” or “Universal City Walk Osaka (Hotel Kintetsu Universal City)” and get off “Tempozan (Kaiyukan)”.
- Timetable
- ¥ 1,600
- about 1 hour
Tips To Enjoy Kaiyukan
Check out “Feeding Time”
At Kaiyukan, there are several feeding show times throughout the day!
Due to the popular event, check out the feeding time for your favorite marine animals such as sea otters, river otters, penguins, sea lions, seals,
and better to keep your space to watch in advance.
The Night Aquarium
The “Night Aquarium” starts from 5 p.m. every day and you can see the different aspects of the daytime.
The BGM is changed to more relaxing, and the lights in the water make you feel like floating in the deep blue ocean.
• Translated captions in English
- The aquarium from 5 pm is a fantastic night ocean that you can’t see in the daytime (0:10)
- The Night of Kaiyukan (0:30)
- Marine lives of New Zealand in Cook Strait (0:32)
- The herd of sardines in Coast of Chile (0:49)
- Capybara in Amazon Rainforest (1:00)
- California sea lion in Monterey Bay (1:07)
- Spotted seal in Monterey Bay (1:21)
- Colorful Tropical fishes in Great Barrier Reef (1:29)
- Pacific white-sided dolphin in the Tasman Sea (1:51)
- Ocean sunfish (2:07)
- Pacific Ocean (2:13)
- Rays (2:18)
- Indian mackerel (2:22)
- Giant trevally (2:29)
- Pacific Ocean (2:33)
- The night aquarium is closed at 8 pm( 8:30 pm on Golden Week & Obon holidays). Last admission is one hour before the closing time. (2:39)
The Romantic illumination In Winter Season
One of the winter events attracts guests every year is the illumination objects in the square at Kaiyukan. Designs vary to attract visitor’s eyes every year, generally start lighting from 5 p.m.
You can see these spectacular illuminations only in the limited winter season, go and see to take photogenic pictures and also enjoy Night Aquarium.
Tempozan Harbor Village
Tempozan Harbor Village is a complex amusement park located in Tempozan Park, Osaka bay area.
The main attractions are the Osaka Aquarium, Kaiyukan and Universal Studios Japan on the opposite bank of the Aji River. It is popular with families and couples as a tourist spot in the Osaka Bay area.
- Kaiyukan
- Legoland
- Naniwa Kuishinbo Yokocho
- Tempozan Ferris Wheel
- Mt Tempo (The lowest mountain in Japan)
- Santa Maria Cruise
Tempozan Market Place
“Tempozan market place” is the shopping mall in Tempozan harbor village.
If you get hungry, there are numerous eateries where you can enjoy Osaka Food, but the most recommended one is “Naniwa Kuishinbo Yokocho”!
If you have “Osaka Kaiyu Pass”, you can reenter the aquarium so it is the option to eat lunch or snack here during the day.
Naniwa Kuishinbo Yokocho (2F)
“Naniwa Kuishinbo Yokocho” (なにわ食いしん坊横丁 ) is kind of like a food court, the design concept is the lively Osaka city around 1965.
- Naniwa…The nickname of Osaka area
- Kuishinbo(u)…Foodies
- Yokocho…An alley
In the nostalgic alley, there are many staple Osaka food from famous eateries.
- Okonomiyaki
- Takoyaki
- Kushikatsu
- Osaka style curry & rice
- Udon noodles
- Korean food
- Ramen noodles
- and more…
Legoland Osaka Discovery Center (3F)
The Giant Ferris Wheel
“Tempozan Ferris Wheel” where you can enjoy the view from 100 meters above the sky for about 17 minutes.
At a height of 112.5m, a diameter of 100m, it was used to be the world’s largest Ferris wheel. You can see the Ikoma Mountains in the east, the Akashi Kaikyo Bridge in the west, Kansai International Airport in the south, and the Rokko Mountains in the north. The illumination of 100m in diameter illuminated at night is very beautiful.
You can ride with a stroller, and also there is also a cabin for a wheelchair, but you cannot bring the carry case, be careful when you want to try the Ferris wheel.
The must-try of the Tempozan Ferris Wheel is getting on the “see-through cabin”. Four of the 60 cabins are transparent see-through cabins (gondolas) which are the all-clear-glass walls and a floor.
It is a popular attraction so you may need to wait for long. Not recommended for acrophobia, but the experience of Osaka views from high places in all directions is incomparable.
Admission Fee
800 yen per person (age 3 or older)
Santa Maria Cruise
“Santa Maria” boat cruise is also one popular attraction among visitors, you can get a magnificent view from the Osaka port.
The ship is modeled after the ship on which Columbus journeyed to the American Continent.
You can enjoy looking at the magnificent scenic spot and feeling the sea breeze of Osaka Bay.
| Day Cruise | Adult: 1,600 yen Child: 800 yen |
|---|---|
| Twilight Cruise | Adult: 2,100 yen Child: 1,050 yen |
*The Child fare for ages 6 – 12
Tempozan Park
Climb up Mt Tempozan, is the lowest mountain in Japan.
The height is only 4.5 meters ( about 15 feet)!!
The park is also a hidden spot for watching cherry blossoms in the spring.
Get To Know About Package Tickets
There are combo tickets to enjoy the aquarium and attractions in the village.
*But somehow, I can’t find this information in English. This information is fetched from the “Kaiyukan Official Website in Japanse, please contact the aquarium if you have any questions.
| Adult (Ages over 16) | Student 2 (Ages 12- 15) | Student 2 (Ages 6-11) | Child (Ages 3- 5) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| KAIYUKAN + Tempozan Giant Ferris wheel | ¥3,100 | ¥1,900 | ¥1,900 | ¥1,300 |
| KAIYUKAN + Cruise Ship Santa Maria | ¥3,300 | ¥2,100 | ¥1,600 | ¥1,000 |
| KAIYUKAN + Legoland | ¥3,900 | ¥2,800 | ¥2,800 | ¥2,640 |
| KAIYUKAN + USJ Water Shuttle Captain Line | ¥2,900 (a one-way ticket) ¥3,600 (a round ticket) | ¥1,900 ¥2,600 | ¥1,500 ¥1,800 | ¥800 ¥1,000 |
The Travel Passe Include Unlimited Osaka Metro ride
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, these passes are not sold temporarily.
• Osaka Kaiyu ticket (include the aquarium admission ticket and a one-day pass for Osaka Metro and city bus or local railways.)
• Osaka Amazing Pass (includes ¥100 off the aquarium admission fee, a one-day pass for Osaka Metro & city bus, free tickets for the Ferris wheel, Santa maria cruise, and lego land, and discount coupons that you can use in the market place. )
