Gobius is an experiential learning aquarium on the west coast of Lake Shinji in the city of Izumo. Gobius might seem like a strange name for an aquarium, but Gobius means ‘small fish’ in Latin and the ‘Goby’ is a type of perch-like fish. At this aquarium they exhibit about 180 species and 9,000 living creatures from Lake Shinji, Lake Nakaumi and the brackish rivers of Shimane Prefecture. There is a new ‘touch pool’ that is very large. It has three depths so that even small children can enjoy it.
Contents
Plenty of goby
One of the main attractions here is the goby fish, after which the aquarium is named. There are varieties of goby living in the river and the sea. Because they can live in both seawater and fresh water, it is natural that many kinds of goby have lived in the brackish waters of Shinji Lake and Nakaumi Lake. This aquarium exhibits the majority of those varieties of goby that have lived in Nakaumi Lake and Lake Shinji. There are rare gymnogobius taranetzi and odontobutis hikimius, and beautiful rhinogobius.
An attractive exhibition style
The tanks here are often ingeniously constructed. The largest tank in this aquarium is the brackish water tank containing a diorama of Lake Shinji and Nakaumi Lake. It contains ‘helmet tanks’ which allow visitors to view the tanks from the middle. Another impressive tank has an 18-meter-long diorama of the river and features one of Japan’s national monuments, the giant salamander. Another contains endangered species from the ‘Regional Red List’. There is an oversized tank in front of the exit containing many large fish. You can enjoy watching these large fish swimming around as they would in Lake Shinji or Nakaumi Lake.
A comprehensive information and reading corner
There is an information and reading corner onsite that can be used freely by visitors. It is ideal for those undertaking some self-guided research over the summer break, as you can find here books on water creatures from the area, as well as books on Lake Shinji and Nakaumi Lake. You can also look up various topics on a computer.
Getting here
| Address | 1659-5 Sonocho, Izumo 691-0076, Shimane Prefecture |
| ☎ | 0853-63-7100 |
| Access | The aquarium direction page (Japanese) |
Access Map
Admission Tickets, Price
| Fees | General | One-year pass |
|---|---|---|
| Adult | 500 yen | 1,400 yen |
| Child (Primary to high school student) | 200 yen | 500 yen |
Opening Hours & Calendar
| Hours | |
|---|---|
| 9:30 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. Last entry 4:30 p.m. |
|
| Days closed |
Tuesday (if a Tuesday is a national holiday, then the next day)
Dec 28 – Jan 1* |
*The schedule may vary. Please check the official website.
Official website
FAQs
Nursing Lounge
Not available but diaper changing tables are avaialble at the restrooms (both Women and Men’s)
Coin lockers
Not available.
Baby stroller rental service
Baby strollers are available free of charge.
Wheelchair rental service
Wheelchairs are available free of charge (Total number: 3).
