HOME > Exhibit Guide > Ocean Zone
The Ocean Zone offers breathtaking views of blue waters, white sandy beaches, colorful fish and coral reefs. These vibrant scenes evoke the beauty of a Heian period picture scroll. Whether experiencing the surprising hardness of starfish and sea cucumbers or being soothed by the mystical movements of jellyfish, we invite you to enjoy the four exhibits as the spirit moves you.
The Coral Sea: a treasure trove of marine life
The Coral Sea presents a dazzling world evocative of a treasure trove. White sandy beaches, colorful coral reefs, and tropical fish beaming like jewels in the sea add all colors of the rainbow to this pool. Visitors can enjoy the complex colors and shapes of coral along with a wide variety of colorful fish darting in and out of the coral, including clownfish. The vibrant beauty of the coral reefs, set against the backdrop of clear blue waters, will take your breath away.
Fun Learning at Beach: touch and learn about the behavior of aquatic life
This exhibit presents aquatic life using a shallow and wide tank that recreates tidal pools near the shoreline. Visitors can touch tidal pool inhabitants, while learning about their behavior and how to interact with them. Feel the rough texture of the skin of bullhead sharks and the surprising hardness of starfish and sea cucumbers. Specialist aquarium keepers may use a blackboard to provide in-depth explanations.
World of Invertebrates: an intriguing ecosystem unfolds
World of Invertebrate introduces invertebrates species lacking in skeletal structures, such as squid, octopi and jellyfish. Distinctive and intriguing aquatic life is exhibited. Visitors can see moon jellyfish floating freely on the currents, squid and octopi skillfully using their long and dangly legs, and shrimps and crabs hunkering under their hard shells.
Sea of Kyoto: the blessings of fish and shellfish through the four seasons
The Sea of Kyoto area allows visitors to enjoy living exhibits of fish and shellfish closely tied to Kyoto’s culinary culture. Visitors can spot smaller aquatic life hiding in the seaweed, and are introduced to abortive migration fish arriving in the Sea of Japan from warmer waters. Don’t miss the highly seasonal exhibits of aquatic life in each of the four seasons.
