Izu-Mito Sea Paradise, located at the base of the Izu Peninsula in Shizuoka Prefecture, was founded in 1930 as the Nakanoshima Aquarium. It was renamed Mitsu Natural Aquarium in 1941, and then obtained its present name in 1977. It is the second-most historic aquarium in Japan, and is famous for bringing creatures such as the bottlenose dolphin, walrus, sea otter, and seals to the general public.
Contents
- Get up close to the bottlenose dolphin and short-beaked dolphin!
- Ongoing research into the breeding of precious Northern Fur Seals
- See footage from the dolphin pool in real time!
- There is also a pool where you can touch fish and crabs.
- Getting here
- Admission Tickets, Price
- Opening Hours & Calendar
- Official website
- FAQs
Get up close to the bottlenose dolphin and short-beaked dolphin!
They have two kinds of dolphin in this aquarium, the bottlenose and the short-beaked dolphin. Both of them will entertain you with a fantastic show! In addition, there are events such as, ‘Let’s give a fish to the bottlenose!’ and ‘Dolphin Observation Meeting’ that let you see the dolphins even more closely than during the show.
Ongoing research into the breeding of precious Northern Fur Seals
The northern fur seals live in the waters around Japan. Hunted for the good quality of their fur, they are now in danger of extinction. Fur seals have been bred and researched in this aquarium under the permission of the Fisheries Department. As a result of the research, you can see some cute babies!
See footage from the dolphin pool in real time!
Dolphin research is underway! In collaboration with universities and companies, the dolphin pool in this aquarium is equipped with a webcam and an underwater microphone that broadcasts real-time video and underwater sound. It is said that the dolphin is a creature with a great ability for communication, and that they exchange information with each other by emitting sound waves into the water. Watching the dolphins have a conversation on the live camera is an exhibition not to be missed.
There is also a pool where you can touch fish and crabs.
There is an area where you can get into a pool and play with the fish. Take a towel and a change of clothes with you if you plan on going in! Please note that the water temperature is set to suit the fish, so winter might be a little cold! In the touching pool visitors can also interact with deep-sea organisms such as Japanese spider crab.
Getting here
| Address | 3-1 Uchiura Nagahama, Numazu 410-0295, Shizuoka Prefecture |
| ☎ | 055-943-2331 |
| Access | The aquarium direction page (Japanese) |
Access Map
Admission Tickets, Price
| Fees | General | One-year pass |
|---|---|---|
| Adult (over middle school student) | 2,200 yen | 5,000 yen |
| Ages 4 – Primary school student | 1,100 yen | 2,500 yen |
Opening Hours & Calendar
| Hours | |
|---|---|
| 9:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. Last entry 4:00 p.m. |
|
| Summer, Winter, New Year’s Holiday | Extended operation hours. Please check the official website upon visiting. |
| Days closed | Open throughout the year |
*The schedule may vary. Please check the official website upon visiting.
Official website
FAQs
Nursing Lounge
The aquarium has two nursing rooms for babies.
Coin lockers
The aquarium has a coin-operated lockers.
Baby stroller rental service
Baby strollers are available free of charge.
Wheelchair rental service
Wheelchairs are available free of charge.
