🗺️ Toba Aquarium鳥羽水族館

Toba Aquarium is a historic aquarium that opened in 1955. When it first opened, it housed about 50 species of animals, but by 2013, this number had grown to over 1,200, making it the most diverse in Japan. It is the only aquarium in Japan that raises dugongs and features various exciting shows and display facilities. In addition to showcasing the care of African manatees and the "Sea Beast Kingdom," where visitors can walk through transparent tubes in the water, the "Ise-Shima Sea / Sea of Japan" area also allows guests to see the adorable figures of the finless porpoise. In 2013, the "Strange Creature Research Institute" was established, featuring unique and rare species such as a giant beetle that gained attention for not eating for an extended period and a dog frog (tentative name) that emits a "woof" sound, gathering a collection of special and uncommon creatures. The aquarium is beloved by visitors for its wide variety of species. Toba Aquarium also boasts numerous breeding and research achievements, including the world's first successful breeding of small whales that inhabit the waters off Japan, the finless porpoise, and the first sea otter pup born in Japan, as well as holding the world record for long-term care of dugongs, and the birth of the world's first Nautilus III.

It is said that the dugong, which is the prototype for mermaid legends, can only be seen here in all of Japan. With over 1,200 species, it has the largest variety in all of Japan. You can also see sea lion performances in the exhibition hall.