The Sea Donut Aquarium is located inside the Amakusa Pearl Center in Kumamoto Prefecture. You can feel how much the staff here love fish, as there are charming handwritten signs throughout the aquarium. When you visit this aquarium, you can also take a sightseeing boat around four of Amakusa’s five bridges. On a 30-40 minute boat trip you can enjoy fantastic views of the blue sea and green islands.
Contents
Take a voyage around the world’s oceans!
As the name suggests, this aquarium is circular. There are seven zones, each recreating a different area of the world. For example, in Europe there is a long history of breeding ornamental tropical fish in ways that improve them. So, in the Europe zone in this aquarium you can see examples of tropical fish varieties that have become even more beautiful through breeding, as well as the 2-meter long wels catfish, and more. The North American zone is characterized by many unique creatures. There is the axolotl, which exploded in popularity a few decades ago in Japan. There is the ‘blind cave fish’, so named after its eyesight degenerated from living in dark caves for a long time. There are also many other strange creatures to see here. Each zone has its own distinctive characteristics, and it is fun to compare them.
Plenty of ways to interact with dolphins
There are many different ways you can interact with dolphins here, so dolphin lovers will be very happy! Our top recommendation is the ‘trainer experience’ where you can feed the dolphins and give them instructions. Children as young as 5 can participate. There are also other experiences where you can touch and high-five a dolphin.
There is lots of fun to be had outside the exhibitions
There are plenty of things to do here other than see the fish and interact with the dolphins. First, you can ride the ‘Blowfish Express’ from the ticket office to the entrance of the aquarium on the pier. These donut-shaped transport shuttles have the face of a blowfish. The cute faces on the front of these shuttles make them very popular with children. Every Saturday from April through December you can visit the aquarium at night. Visitors explore the aquarium with a flashlight, making for a fun and memorable experience. In particular, be sure not to miss the sea firefly which only lights up at night.
Getting here
| Address | 6225-7 Matsushimamachi Aitsu, Kamiamakusa 861-6102, Kumamoto Prefecture |
| ☎ | 0969-56-2570 |
| Access | The aquarium direction page (Japanese) |
Access Map
Admission Tickets, Price
| Fees | General | Night tour* |
|---|---|---|
| Adult | 1,300 yen | 2,500 yen |
| Middle & high shool student | 800 yen | 1,800 yen |
| Primary school student | 500 yen | 1,300 yen |
| Child (Ages 3+) | 400 yen | 900 yen |
| Senior (Ages 65+) | 1,200 yen | — |
|
Pair
|
— | 4,500 yen |
|
Family
|
— | 5,000 yen |
*Every Saturday from April to December only. Reservation is required before 5:00 p.m. on that day.
Opening Hours & Calendar
| Hours | |
|---|---|
| Mar 20 – Oct 31 | 9:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m. Last entry 5:00 p.m. |
| Nov 1 – Mar 19 | 9:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. Last entry 4:00 p.m. |
|
Night tour is held on every Saturday from April to December
|
For those who want a night tour, please come by 7:30 p.m. Reservation is required before 5:00 p.m. on that day. |
| Days closed |
Irregular holiday
|
Official website
FAQs
Nursing Lounge
Nursing lounge is available in the aquarium.
Coin lockers
Not available.
Baby stroller rental service
Baby strollers are available free of charge.
Wheelchair rental service
Wheelchairs are available free of charge.
