Osaka Trip Part 16: Osaka Aquarium KAIYUKAN

[Introduction]

I traveled to Osaka in late September. This was my first visit to Osaka except for business trips. There are several things I missed doing, so I would like to revisit Osaka in the future. In this article, I will write about Osaka Aquarium KAIYUKAN as part of Day 5.

[Visit Places (series of articles)]
* Day 1: Umeda
* Day 1: Nakanoshima
* Day 1: Nakanoshima (Light-up)
* Day 2: Osaka Castle
* Day 2: Abeno Harukas
* Day 2: Shinsekai
* Day 2: Abeno Harukas (Light-up)
* Day 3: Sumiyoshi Shrine
* Day 3: Namba
* Day 3: Amerikamura and Namba
* Day 3: Namba (Light-up)
* Day 4: Expo’70 Commemorative Park
* Day 4: Expo’70 Commemorative Park
* Day 4: Umeda
* Day 4: Umeda (Light-up)
* Day 5: Kaiyukan [This article]
* Day 5: Tempozan Marketplace
* Day 5: GLION MUSEUM & Return Home

[Travel Date]
2018.09.22-26

[Main Part]

Breakfast at Hotel Granvia Osaka

It was the fifth day (i.e. final day) of my Osaka trip. To start with, I will have breakfast at Hotel Granvia Osaka where I stayed.

As I mentioned in the past article, the hotel provided 100 kinds of Japanese and Western buffet menu, so I was not tired of breakfast even if I stayed there for consecutive days.

Here are what I had today.

Since it was the final day of the trip, I will express a brief comment on the hotel. I chose Hotel Granvia Osaka mainly because (1) the location was convenient (directly connected to JR Osaka station) and (2) the hotel provided a variety of breakfast menu. In particular, I received much benefit from its convenient location.

Go to Tempozan Harbor Village

On the fifth day of my Osaka trip, I will go around Tempozan area where there is Osaka Port.

First, I took Osaka Loop line to move to Bentencho station.

Then, I transferred to Osaka Metro Chuo line and got off at Osakako (Osaka Port) station.

Perhaps, it’s a good location to take train photos, if you are interested in it.

It took about 5 minutes on foot and I reached “Tempozan Harbor Village”.

Tempozan Harbor Village is an amusement complex opened in 1990 as part of the waterfront development project in Osaka Port. It has an aquarium, a ferris wheel as well as a large commercial facility “Tempozan Marketplace”.

“The Giant Ferris Wheel” is 112,5 meters tall and 100 meters in diameter. When opened in 1997, it was the largest ferris wheel in the world at that time.

It was sunny, although the weather forecast predicted it would turn bad around noon.

This building was “Osaka Aquarium KAIYUKAN”, which I will visit later soon.

“Osaka Aquarium KAIYUKAN” opens at 10 a.m. and I had some free time, so I walked around Osaka Port. Here are some snaps.

Osaka Aquarium KAIYUKAN

Now it was past 10 a.m., I moved to “Osaka Aquarium KAIYUKAN”.

“Osaka Aquarium KAIYUKAN” is one of the largest aquariums in the world with 620 species and 30,000 marine animals from the Pacific Rim. Visitors move to the 8th floor by escalator first and then watch exhibitions following the designated route, which is classified based on areas such as “Antarctica” and “Great Barrier Reef” etc.

Here are some snaps.

Tufted puffin.

Ringtailed coati.

Capibara.

Penguin.

I just happened to see a feeding time.

“Great Barrier Reef” area.

A sea lion was swimming comfortably.

Eagle ray and whale shark.

How colorful was it?

Heteroconger hassi.

Loggerhead seaturtle.

Japanese spider crab.

Jellyfish Galaxy

One of the highlights in “Osaka Aquarium KAIYUKAN” was “Jellyfish Galaxy”, which was renewed in March 2018.

As the name suggests, this new area gives the impression of gazing into a galaxy of jellyfish floating in space. Here are some snaps.

Lots of visitors stoped here to take photos.

It was something like a kind of art work, wasn’t it?

The area had a touch of fantasy.

Chubby Ringed Seal

Finally, I came to “Arctic Region” area.

In this area, there were ringed seals. They were more chubby than normal ringed seals, which made them more popular.

Then I left “Osaka Aquarium KAIYUKAN” for “Tempozan Marketplace” and I will write about it in the next article.

[Closing]

That’s it for the article about Osaka Aquarium KAIYUKAN as part of Day 5.

When I go traveling, I try to visit aquariums as much as possible. Compared with other aquariums, I had an impression that “Osaka Aquarium KAIYUKAN” focused on how to display their exhibits. In particular, “Jellyfish Galaxy” area and “NIFREL”, which I visited on the day before (see the related article), produced by KAIYUKAN were full of art atmosphere. From what I heard, 60% of the visitors are repeaters and I am totally convinced by the fact 🙂

Talking of aquariums, here are other articles in my blog. If you are interested in it, please check it as well.

Aquaria KLCC, a world-class aquarium in Kuala Lumpur
Miyajima: Five-story pagoda, aquarium, deer, Anago-meshi and oyster etc.
Sentosa Island part 1: S.E.A. Aquarium, one of the largest aquariums in the world
Okinawa Trip without Car: Part 8: Sightseeing Bus Tour (2) Churaumi Aquarium and Ocean Expo Park

In the next article, I will write about Tempozan Marketplace as part of Day 5.

[Map]

1 Hotel Granvia Osaka
2 Osaka Aquarium KAIYUKAN

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