Top 5 best aquariums in Asia2026 ranking

You really get pulled into the vibe as soon as you arrive at this aquarium. If you like anime, the atmosphere might remind you of those aquarium date scenes, it definitely did for me! I recommend bringing a little notebook to collect stamps of the different animals throughout your visit (and all over Japan, for that matter!). It is also possible to walk through the gift shop, but you should definitely stop at the cafe with a view of the city and the ocean, which is especially beautiful at nightfall.

Since I saw there was an aquarium on this beautiful island, I had to give it a try. I enjoyed it, but it is not the nicest one in Japan. I would not call it a must-see. Prioritize the temples and Mount Misen instead. There is a nice variety of animals and colorful fish, but it is a little small. It is still enough for a family activity!

Another beautiful aquarium! I appreciated the focus on the local biodiversity and Sagami Bay. It makes for a great addition to a visit to Enoshima beach. A perfect place to visit with the family. I really liked the little souvenir shop, you can buy turtle-shaped melon pan there! Adorable!

This aquarium is gigantic, but what is most surprising is definitely its architecture. Built vertically, this aquarium is worth the trip. A great time with the family to get away from the whirlwind of Osaka :)

A very nice place to spend an afternoon! You enter through a sort of tunnel where you can see fish above you and on the sides. Just impressive! Many sea creatures are there, including dolphins and penguins. And also jellyfish with a unique aesthetic. An outing full of activities, whether you are alone or with family.

I recommend this aquarium if you are visiting Osaka! The visit will take about a morning. You will see some beautiful colorful fish of course, but also capybaras and penguins. Between a whale shark, turtles, jellyfish, and rays, you are in for quite a few surprises!

From the public, free part of the mall, you already get a nice view of the aquarium. It is pretty tempting to see more, and we gave in to that temptation. No regrets, there are really a lot of fish to see, the big tank is truly impressive, and you can walk through a tunnel that goes right through it. Bonus, there are not just fish to watch, but other aquatic species like turtles and crocodiles. Another bonus, you can pet baby sharks! Apparently, they do not bite yet at that age ;)

This aquarium is massive and gives you the impression that you are visiting the ocean, not just looking at simple observation tanks. There is notably a tunnel over 100 meters long that runs alongside a reef. It is as if the animals were out in the wild.

Unlike many other aquariums, this one has outdoor spaces that really add a lot. I also loved the whale sharks, they are just huge. Another plus: the ticket price, less than €15 (about $16) is totally fair. What I liked less: it is super far from the city! A 2-hour drive from Naha, that makes for 4 hours round trip in one day...