Sunshine Aquarium — Attraction in Tokyo

It’s definitely “Tokyo-sized” Although not everything in Tokyo is overpriced simply because of location, this aquarium is. It was fairly relaxing in the evening with lovely lights and a nice cafe atmosphere outside. Kids enjoyed running around when it was less crowded.

More positive points are: Elevators easily accessible for people with strollers etc. Corridors are smallish and it’s certainly easier to get around without one if your child can walk or be carried, so they provide a place to leave your stroller before entering, but they also allow you to choose to take your stroller in. There is a nice baby room on the second floor for feeding and changing etc. The cafe in the outdoor area provides lots of options for drinks and snacks. So even though the museum is on the small side, you can still enjoy yourself in the outdoor area for a longer time, on a date or with children. We entered later in the afternoon, so we did not have to wait long in a ticket line. It was nice to be able to go right in.

Points of grievance include: Exorbitant price considering what is offered compared to other aquariums Extremely crowded on holidays / weekends / when tourists are plentiful Tiny enclosures for animals (sea lion, for example) Lack of educational information regarding each animal or exhibit that can be understood by children. (I assume the entire facility is geared more toward couples...

Heartbreak doesn't even begin to cover the profound sadness I felt witnessing the conditions there. The enclosures were shockingly small, nowhere near adequate for the variety of sea life housed within. It was the first time I've ever observed signs of zoophobia in an aquatic setting – a distressing sight with many creatures swimming in tight, repetitive circles, a clear indicator of their stress and discomfort.

An encounter with an octopus left a particularly deep impression. It seemed acutely aware of visitors on the other side of the glass, visibly panicking and attempting to conceal itself whenever someone approached too closely. Witnessing such fear was unsettling, to say the least.

And then there was the sea lion, confined to a space so cramped it might as well have been a bathtub. Its continuous, circular swimming, more akin to spinning, was a sight that filled me with a profound sense of sorrow.

I've never felt so eager to leave a place. It's heartbreaking to see marine creatures, which should be roaming the vast oceans, confined to such restrictive, inadequate environments. This visit was a stark reminder of the importance of ethical animal care, and unfortunately, this aquarium fell woefully short. A regrettable one-star review, solely because leaving no stars isn't an option.

Visiting this aquarium was an experience I wish I...

One of the best aquarium experiences I could ask for: the place is without pretenses and starts as many zoos, with dark rooms filled with fishes, but there are so many nice varieties here that you normally don’t see in other countries, and the experience already starts to differentiate itself.

There is a dark zone filled with jellyfishes of all kind, and they change dynamically a few things depending on the day of the week (like the mini calendar on a board inside the large tank where a sub was feeding and cleaning for the fishes themselves).

In-between this area and the open area there is a shop filled with cute toys. I rarely feel like buying things in such shops, b or when I saw the sleeping otter and tried to hug it a moment, I simply couldn’t put it down.

The open area has penguins swimming which you can see from below, or resting while enjoying (or bearing?) the sun, depending on the temperature. Pelicans, seals and otters are also in the same area, and the view from below makes for a novel approach to enjoy these swimming critters. You can also get some rest or refreshment in the cafe/restaurant right next to them.

I couldn’t have asked for a nicer experience in the morning of my birthday, and there are also many flowers outside to see. Don’t miss on the strelitzia...