Which Are Japan's Oldest Aquariums Still Worth Visiting?
Which of Japan's oldest aquariums are still worth adding to a trip? This guide compares long-running facilities with publicly traceable founding years, including Uozu Aquarium, often introduced as Japan's oldest existing public aquarium. Last reviewed: .
Historic Aquarium Timeline
Founding year is not always the same as the opening year of the current building. Tap an aquarium name to open its detail page.
| Founded | Aquarium | Location | Current building | Details |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1913 | Uozu Aquarium Oldest existing |
Toyama | Opened 1981 (3rd) | Details → |
| 1930 | Kamo Aquarium | Yamagata | — | Details → |
| 1930 | Kyoto University Shirahama Aquarium | Wakayama | — | Details → |
| 1931 | Katsurahama Aquarium | Kochi | — | Details → |
| 1934 | Joetsu Municipal Aquarium Umigatari | Niigata | Renewed 2018 | Details → |
| 1955 | Toba Aquarium | Mie | — | Details → |
| 1956 | Takeshima Aquarium | Aichi | — | Details → |
| 1958 | Otaru Aquarium | Hokkaido | — | Details → |
A dash (—) in the "Current building" column means the rebuild year is not confirmed in public sources. See each section below for more detail.
1913: Uozu Aquarium
Uozu Aquarium
Uozu Aquarium traces its roots to an aquarium shown at a 1913 exhibition in Uozu, Toyama. The current building opened in 1981 as the third-generation facility. Its appeal is not only age: the aquarium presents Toyama Bay, local rivers, and regional aquatic life in a compact, easy-to-read format.
1930s: Kamo, Shirahama, and Katsurahama
Kamo Aquarium
Kamo Aquarium opened in 1930 and is now best known for its jellyfish exhibits. Its long history and later reinvention make it one of the most distinctive aquarium stories in Japan.
Kyoto University Shirahama Aquarium
This university-run aquarium also dates to 1930. It has a research-oriented character and focuses strongly on marine life from the Kii Peninsula and surrounding waters.
Katsurahama Aquarium
Founded in 1931, Katsurahama Aquarium sits near Kochi's scenic Katsurahama coast. It is smaller than many major aquariums, but its seaside setting and local personality are a large part of the charm.
1934: Joetsu Municipal Aquarium Umigatari
Joetsu Municipal Aquarium Umigatari
This municipal aquarium on the Sea of Japan traces its origins to 1934, when Naoetsu Aquarium opened in the town of Naoetsu. It became a museum in 1953, moved to city management in 1954, and reopened as "Umigatari" after a major renewal in 2018. Highlights include open-air tanks where dolphins leap against the Sea of Japan and a large colony of Magellanic penguins.
Postwar Classics
Toba Aquarium
Opened in 1955, Toba Aquarium is one of Japan's major classic aquariums and is especially famous for its broad species collection, including dugongs.
Takeshima Aquarium
Takeshima Aquarium opened in 1956 and is loved for its handmade signs, close-up exhibits, and approachable local style.
Otaru Aquarium
Otaru Aquarium opened in 1958 and pairs its main aquarium building with a rugged outdoor marine animal park overlooking the Hokkaido coast.
How Japan's Oldest Aquarium Is Counted
Japan's very first aquarium is generally said to be the "Uonozoki" viewing room opened inside Ueno Zoo in 1882 (sources: Ueno Zoological Gardens' special exhibition "130 Years of Aquariums at Ueno Zoo"; Wikipedia "Aquariums in Japan"). It was a small freshwater display without modern filtration and no longer exists, so "the first aquarium ever built in Japan" and "the oldest aquarium still open to the public" are two different things.
This guide uses the following rules, which is why Uozu Aquarium (1913) is treated as the oldest existing facility:
- Still open to the public: closed facilities are not listed.
- Counted by founding year: even after rebuilding, we use the year the institution began.
- Founding year must be well documented: facilities with unclear or disputed origins are left out of the list.
- Continuous lineage: if an old predecessor closed and a separate facility reopened later, we count the current facility's opening year.
For example, Aomori Prefectural Asamushi Aquarium is not included in this list. Its cited predecessor, the aquarium attached to Tohoku Imperial University's marine laboratory (opened 1924), closed in 1984, while the current prefectural facility opened in 1983. Because the lineage is not continuous, it does not fit this guide's "oldest by founding year" list (sources: Tohoku University Asamushi Center history; Aomori Prefectural Asamushi Aquarium).
How to Plan a Historic Aquarium Visit
- Check whether the attraction is best reached by train, bus, or rental car.
- Look beyond the founding year and compare exhibits, access, and nearby sightseeing.
- Confirm opening hours before visiting, especially for smaller or university-related facilities.
Summary
Historic aquariums are not simply old buildings. Many have rebuilt, renewed, or changed their focus while keeping a long connection with their region. If you enjoy travel with a sense of place, these aquariums can add a deeper layer to a Japan itinerary.