Nagoya Port Aquarium

▶North Building: A 3.5 Billion-Year Journey
〜Animals That Returned to the Sea〜
About 3.5 billion years ago, single-celled organisms first emerged in the sea as the earliest life forms on Earth. Countless forms of life each followed their own path of evolution, and some of the creatures that moved onto land evolved into giant dinosaurs that came to dominate the terrestrial world, only to eventually become extinct.
After that, mammals became the main inhabitants of the land, and about 50 million years ago, some of them returned to the sea, the cradle of life. These were the animals that would evolve into today’s whales. To adapt to life in the water, they transformed their bodies into streamlined forms, eventually evolving into the beautiful creatures we see today.
Along this route, you can explore the world of cetaceans—creatures that adapted to life in the water, developed remarkable intelligence, and are said to rival humans in status as dwellers of the sea—through the long history of life’s evolution.

▶Japan’s Sea, North Building 2F
In “Japan’s Sea,” you can see orcas, bottlenose dolphins, and Pacific white-sided dolphins. The orca’s beautiful black-and-white body and its overwhelming size create a powerful impression that truly evokes the “king of the sea.” At the same time, visitors are also captivated by their curious and charming expressions as they seem to look back at you through the glass.
You can also watch dolphins swimming together affectionately, touching one another with their pectoral fins, as well as playing with toys and going about their everyday lives.

▶Sea of the Aurora, North Building 2F
In “Sea of the Aurora,” belugas from the Arctic region are on display. Belugas are characterized by their pure white, stout bodies and rounded, protruding heads called melons. Through the tank, you can watch the belugas swimming gracefully and even hear their beautiful calls, said to resemble those of canaries.

▶Sea of Evolution, North Building 2F
“Sea of Evolution” showcases the process by which mammals that once lived on land evolved into whales that now live in the sea. It features one of the largest collections in Japan of valuable fossil replicas and whale skeleton specimens. There are also plenty of easy-to-understand explanations through illustrations and videos. You will surely be able to feel the passage of some 50 million years.

▶Underwater Viewing Area, North Building 2F
A vast blue underwater world spreads out beyond the large underwater observation window measuring 4 m high by 29 m wide. When the “Dolphin Performance” is being held, you can observe the powerful swimming of the dolphins as they prepare to leap; at other times, you can watch them swimming at a leisurely pace. Since the floor is carpeted, you can sit down and relax.

▶Main Pool, North Building 3F
The “Main Pool,” measuring 60 m wide, 30 m deep, and with a maximum depth of 12 m, hosts two popular events: the Dolphin Performance and the public training session for the orcas. With a stadium that seats about 3,000 people and a large video display measuring 8.6 m high by 14.7 m wide, it is the largest of its kind in Japan. You can feel the astonishing physical abilities and intelligence of dolphins and orcas as they swim at full speed.

▶Sea of the Aurora, North Building 3F
From the third floor of the “Sea of the Aurora,” you can observe belugas from above the water. Beside the pool, there is also a hand pump where you can touch water at the same temperature as the beluga pool. In addition, a den of the polar bear, a representative animal of the Arctic region, has been recreated, allowing you to experience the environment around the Arctic where belugas live.

▶South Building: Journey to Antarctica
〜A Journey Across the Earth to Encounter the Diverse Life of Five Seas〜
The vast oceans, which cover about 70% of the Earth, vary in water temperature and climate depending on the region, so living creatures have adapted to a wide range of environments and continued to evolve. In the South Building, following the route once taken by the Antarctic research vessel Fuji, moored at Nagoya Port Garden Pier, you can observe creatures living in various aquatic environments: “Japan’s Sea,” “Deep Sea Gallery,” “Sea of the Equator,” “Australian Waters,” and “Sea of Antarctica.”
Set off on a journey to Antarctica and observe up close the ecology of creatures living in a variety of waters.

▶Japan’s Sea, South Building 2F
“Japan’s Sea” recreates the marine environment around Japan, where a wide variety of creatures live. In addition to the massive Kuroshio tank, where you can see a tornado-like school of Japanese anchovies, there are many creatures displayed in the tunnel tank, where you can observe fish swimming gracefully from below, as well as tanks recreating various environments such as tidal flats and seaweed beds. At the “Micro Aquarium,” you can also observe tiny creatures living in Nagoya Port through a camera.

▶Deep Sea Gallery, South Building 1F/2F
“Deep Sea Gallery” exhibits creatures that live in the waters known as the deep sea, at depths of over 200 meters. You can see the Japanese spider crab, said to be the largest arthropod in the world, sharks, and many other deep-sea creatures. In addition to live displays, creatures that have evolved uniquely in the deep sea—an environment of immense water pressure, low temperatures, and darkness—are introduced through specimens, dioramas, 3D holograms, models, and more.

▶Sea of the Equator, South Building 1F/2F/3F
In “Sea of the Equator,” the Coral Reef Great Tank, modeled after the Great Barrier Reef in Australia—the world’s largest coral reef—extends through the South Building from the first to the third floor. The tank is home to fish of many colors and shapes, giving a sense of the diversity of life in coral reefs. Please enjoy this paradise-like coral reef world created by vividly colored creatures, including the Live Coral Tank, where the highly challenging care of corals is being attempted, and the Coral Close-Up Tank, which answers questions about corals.

▶Sea Turtle Migration Tank, South Building 2F/3F
The Sea Turtle Migration Tank in “Sea of the Equator” on the second and third floors is designed in a donut shape so that sea turtles can keep swimming continuously, and it houses loggerhead turtles, green sea turtles, and hawksbill turtles. There is also an artificial sandy beach measuring 5 m wide and 20 m deep, allowing the turtles to come ashore.
On the third floor, there is a tank where you can observe the growth of baby turtles born at Nagoya Port Aquarium.

▶Australian Waters, South Building 3F
In “Australian Waters,” subtropical shoreline habitats are recreated using local plants such as sword ferns, tree ferns, and Yamasaki kazura vines that grow up to 3 meters long. The exhibit includes turtles such as the pig-nosed turtle, whose distinctive nose shape is a defining feature, as well as fish such as the northern barramundi, a member of the arowana family.

▶Sea of Antarctica, South Building 3F
In “Sea of Antarctica,” you can learn about the Antarctic ecosystem created by creatures that live resiliently in the Antarctic Ocean, which is more than 95% covered in ice, including Antarctic krill and fish that survive without freezing even in subzero waters. In the penguin tank, which exhibits four species of penguins living on the Antarctic continent and its surrounding islands, including the emperor penguin, the world’s largest penguin, you can observe penguins swimming energetically and waddling about.

▶Jellyfish Nagonium, South Building 1F
“Jellyfish Nagonium” exhibits about 11 species and 500 jellyfish. The use of mirrors and lighting enhances the beauty of the jellyfish even further, creating a fantastical space. In the adjacent “Jellyfish Lab” corner, you can observe the growth process from juvenile jellyfish to adulthood.