We discovered the aquarium on our trip(s) to Toys R Us, as there are signs everywhere along the stroll from the subway station to the toy store. My husband looked up the aquarium's website and encouraged us to get annual passes (¥4400/$40.23 for adults and ¥1400/$12.80 for kids 4-6 years old), as it paid for itself with just 2 visits!
The aquarium is located on the 10th and 11th floors. It is one third on the roof and two thirds indoors. As soon as we entered, I was taken aback by the garden setting. There were plants and trees all over, making almost a garden in the outdoor area. We immediately noticed the seal show was going to start. So, we sat down and were entertained by 2 seals performing tricks like balancing sticks with balls on their noses. It was short, but sweet and we both enjoyed it.
We then wandered over to the penguin enclosure, where they were getting ready to feed the penguins. The penguin tank is quite impressive as it arches overhead, so the shallow end is over your head with the deep end in front of you. Also, the back of the tank is also clear glass that allows you to see the city behind it. Before starting the feeding, they brought 4 pelicans into the enclosure from their overhead area. That way they were feeding both types of animals at the same time and it was super entertaining to watch!
One neat feature outside were the overhead tanks. There is the pelican enclosure overhead, as well as a ring for the seals to swim around in. It was so fun watching the seal swim around and around.
We wrapped up viewing the animals in the outdoor area and headed inside. There we found typical aquarium tanks with everything from jellyfish to octopus to Japanese spider crabs. It wasn't too crowded, but there were lots of people there. I quickly noticed how orderly everything was. Adults seemed to step back to make room for kids and people tried to keep things moving. I did not get stepped on, elbowed, or pushed at all. It really emphasized the Japanese curtesy I've become accustom to from visiting for so many years. People seem to know their parameters and maintain them accordingly.
While taking our time at the large tank, featuring a variety of sharks and rays, I started chatting with another American. She was visiting for a few days and taking in the sights. We immediately hit it off and she joined us for the remainder of our aquarium adventure. I can't even express how nice it was to speak to an adult, in English, that wasn't my husband, didn't include redialing due to dropped internet connection, and for more than a simple greeting or acknowledgement. It made our day even better!
Overall, the aquarium is small, but so well done. I was super impressed. We both can't wait to go back again.
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