Shimonoseki Kaikyokan

Kaikyokan, The Aquarium Of Shimonoseki At The Western Tip Of Honshu, With The World'S Largest Collection Of Fugu Pufferfish (Often Said), Penguins, Dolphins And A Tank For Local Fish. A Short, Easy Stop Beside The Waterfront. · Shimonoseki, Yamaguchi

Kaikyokan is the city aquarium of Shimonoseki, on the waterfront at the far western tip of Honshu, where the narrow Kanmon Strait separates it from Kyushu. It is best known for fugu, the pufferfish that Shimonoseki treats as its signature food. The aquarium is often said to hold the largest collection of fugu species in the world, in a hall of tanks that shows how different they look - confirm the claim and the hall's name. Elsewhere you find a large penguin area, dolphin and sea lion shows, and a tank of the fish and currents of the strait itself. It is a short walk from Shimonoseki Station along the waterfront, beside the Karato Market and within sight of the Kanmon Bridge. It suits families and anyone passing through on the way between Honshu and Kyushu. Allow two to three hours, or half a day with the market and lunch. It is worth it for the fugu hall and the setting. It is less so if you have already seen a large aquarium such as Osaka or Okinawa, because the scale here is modest and the shows are short.

6-1 Arcaport, Shimonoseki, Yamaguchi, a short walk from Shimonoseki Station along the waterfront, near the Karato Market, Shimonoseki, Yamaguchi, Japan

Open daily in most of the year, commonly from about 9:30 to 17:30, with last entry roughly an hour before closing and a few closing days in winter for maintenance - confirm times and dates. Dolphin and sea lion shows run a few times a day on a fixed timetable, so check the board at the entrance. From Shimonoseki Station it is a walk of roughly 10-15 minutes along the waterfront, or a short bus ride. IC cards work on local buses but bring cash for the market stalls. Tickets are sold at the door; nothing needs booking, apart from group visits. Weekends, school holidays, Golden Week and Obon are the busiest times.

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