Under the Sea at Miyajima Aquarium in Hiroshima

Oct 28, 2021

Under the Sea at Miyajima Aquarium in Hiroshima

Hiroshima is famous for having access to both the mountains and the ocean. As a result of this prime location, the city has bountiful food, sights, and attractions that reflect these aspects. 

Miyajima Aquarium is a prime example of such a sight and emphasizes the region’s connection to the ocean, particularly the Seto Inland Sea.

Recently I visited and was impressed with the many beautiful underwater exhibits and creatures. As for the food, although you can buy food there, most are mainly interested in the delectability of the animals on display. I witnessed lines of people around me exclaiming, “Oh delicious!” every time they looked at one of the exhibits. I must admit it was slightly unnerving, but I did find myself taking some time to appreciate this new way of enjoying the aquarium and even found myself agreeing at times.

As mentioned earlier, Miyajima Aquarium’s big selling point is that it’s one of the only aquariums focusing on the Seto Inland Sea. As it’s right on the doorstep, many of the creatures genuinely are in their natural habitat.

It’s an excellent place to visit if you have children to entertain, and the larger tanks have seating areas where parents can relax and watch the animals at play too. The giant stingrays are a popular attraction, and the jellyfish are fascinating to watch, especially with the colored lights that illuminate the tanks. Of course, if you’ve been to Miyajima numerous times for sightseeing, the aquarium is also something a little different from the usual cultural attractions.

The biggest drawback is that it’s a tad pricey; the aquarium recently raised admission to 1,420 yen for adults, 710 yen for elementary and high school students, 400 yen for young children and under fours are free. There is a group discount, but it is for groups of more than 20, so a trip to the aquarium doesn’t come cheap at these prices. The beginning is also a little slow, and if you don’t read Japanese (particularly kanji), there isn’t a lot you will understand. Saying that, though, there also isn’t a lot of information in Japanese either, so people tend to make their way through the place fairly quickly.

Perhaps the most exciting thing for children (and big kids, aka adults) is the touch tank at the end. Unfortunately, it too isn’t good with instructions in English, so my advice is to approach the tank and wait for one of the staff to notice and help you out. There is also a whale exhibit featuring some small whales, but it’s hard to enjoy considering the pool could be much larger. 

For interactive entertainment, the aquarium holds sea lion shows three times a day on weekdays at 10.30 am, 1:00 pm, and 3.30 pm and there is also the opportunity for penguin and sea otter feeding. Check the website for more information and for exact times.

Miyajima Aquarium is located to the right of Itsukushima Shrine and is well sign-posted. It’s open every day of the year from 9 am-5 pm, with the last entry at 4 pm. It has both a Japanese and English website, so it’s best to check online first if you plan to go on a public or national holiday as hours may vary slightly.

When you’ve finished making your way around the aquarium, stop by the gift shop for some fun souvenirs to take home as a reminder of your time there. I guarantee you won’t leave empty-handed!

Miyajima Aquarium

10-3, Miyajima-cho, Hatsukaichi-shi, Hiroshima Japan 739-0534 (map link)
0829-44-2010

www.miyajima-aqua.jp/english (English)

ori2uru, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons