Last week, on my day off, I took a short trip to Osaka Aquarium Kaiyukan.

Because I went on a weekday, it was not very crowded. There is an aquarium in my hometown, and it was always one of my favourite places to take field trips to in elementary and middle school. The aquarium was easily accessible by public transportation and easy to find once I got off the subway.

The aquarium is located near Legoland as well as a shopping centre, so it is easy to spend the whole day exploring the area. Within the aquarium, guests follow a relatively straightforward path through a variety of exhibits. At the beginning and end of the path I browsed gift shops. Everything was really cute, and it was hard for me to limit my spending on a few souvenirs. I saw a wide variety of animal exhibits, including countless different fish, capybara, dolphins, penguins, and jellyfish. I was especially impressed by the variety of jellyfish on display. I gained a new appreciation for the way they move through the water. My favourite part of the aquarium was watching the spotted garden eels. I haven’t seen them before, except when playing Animal Crossing,  and I was surprised by how small they were.

I also liked the largest exhibit, a huge Pacific Ocean tank that could be viewed from many levels and angles. It was amazing to see so many different creatures up close. A lot of manta rays swam right up to the side of the tank, so I could see their mouths and undersides. This exhibit in particular was very relaxing. Their were benches around the tank, and I could’ve sat there watching the animals move through the water for the entire day. I could’ve, but I didn’t. Instead, I moved on, excited for what was to come. There were also a few photo opportunities in front of displays as well as a themed cafe. I definitely felt that the trip was worth the cost of admission. A must-see for foreigners visiting Kansai, especially if you haven’t had the chance to see much marine life before!

– Amber