The Okinawa Churaumi Aquarium is located within the Ocean Expo Park in Okinawa, Japan. The aquarium is a part of the Ocean Expo Park located in Motobu, Okinawa. The aquarium is made up of four floors, with tanks containing deep sea creatures, sharks, coral and tropical fish. The aquarium is set on 19,000 m² of land, with a total of 77 tanks containing 10,000 m³ of water. Water for the saltwater exhibits is pumped into the aquarium from a source 350m offshore, 24 hours a day.
The main tank called the ‘Kuroshio Sea’ is the second largest aquarium tank in the world. It holds 7,500-cubic meters (1,981,290 gallons) of water and features the world’s second largest acrylic glass panel (8.2 by 22.5 meters with a thickness of 60 cm). Whale sharks and manta rays are kept amongst many other fish species in the main tank. The aquarium holds 70 species of coral. It is one of only a few aquariums that keeps whale sharks in captivity, and is currently trying to breed them.
Manta rays swim with ease in the beautiful seas of Okinawa. Okinawa Churaumi Aquarium was the first to succeed in keeping multiple individual of manta rays and increasing their numbers after the successful reproductions in the tank. After a manta ray is born, it is immediately moved to a Seapen (net cage) where it is raised and then later returned to the Kuroshio Tank where it can be seen swimming with its parents. Their record for longest time preserved in captivity still stands. Currently, five manta rays can be seen circling around in the Aquarium.
The Okinawa Churaumi Aquarium introduces an open system in which sea water that is scooped from the ocean enters the aquarium tanks and then is returned to the ocean once again. The Coral Sea exhibit showcases the beauty of the seas of Okinawa with 800 different coral colonies representing 70 different species of coral. The large 300m³ tank has no roof, allowing natural sunlight to flood inside. Most of the coral has been cultivated for over eight years. Fish that naturally inhabit coral reef swim excitedly in and out of our coral reef, playing an important role in controlling seaweed and zoanthids which inhibit the growth of coral.
There is a corner for mysterious creatures from the deep sea of Okinawa, where they have introduce the marine life that inhabits the deep sea 100-700 meters below the ocean’s surface. In addition to rare marine life that is difficult to breed in captivity, such as the Ruby Snapper, Blacksail Snake Mackerel, and luminous shrimp, you can also enjoy an explanation through images and panels of the deep sea environment and the marine life.
Three factors contribute to the rich natural habit for marine life here in our Okinawa seas: (1) the enormous warm Kuroshio lack Current, (2) living coral reefs; and 3) the two deep sea areas located on each side of the Ryukyu Island. A variety of the world’s most rare creatures can be found in the mystical seas.
There are restaurants and cafes with spectacular views and some aquatic product shops from where you can purchase some really exclusive picks for your home tanks. They have recently introduced recommended courses suited to your itinerary. There is a theatre where you can watch impressive movies and take a look at some of the Aquarium’s many creatures.