Under the waves, Churaumi Aquarium

Situated two hours from Naha on the main island of Okinawa, Churaumi Aquarium is a paradise for aquatic enthusiasts with many exhibits showcasing the creatures who call the sea home. It is one of the few aquariums in Okinawa and is particularly famous for its whale sharks. I quickly learned about this fact from my students, who would excitedly respond with, “Did you know they have whale sharks?” whenever Okinawa was mentioned.

Entry to the aquarium is affordable, and its location along the sea offers beautiful beach walks and a nearby botanical garden, all within walking distance. You can easily spend a whole day exploring the aquarium and its attractions, so keep this in mind when planning your visit.

The aquarium features performances and feeding display schedules for its inhabitants and provides a variety of food options, including food trucks and two on-site restaurants. One of the restaurants inside the aquarium has tables with views of the whale shark tank; however, reservations are necessary, and on busy days, the wait times can be quite long. The seating next to the glass offers a fun experience, especially since the lights in the main tank area are dimmed for ambiance. So, if you can secure a booking, you are in for a treat!

My visit to the aquarium was fun I enjoyed seeing larger displays and I am also fascinated by the divers who clean the tanks due to the large size of the environments. When I was in the UK I worked closely with fish and appreciate the work it takes to maintain tanks and the health of the fish. I was happy to see a diver swimming after a fish with a net to presumably take the poor guy to a vet or isolation tank. I also appreciated the inclusion of English in the displays and found it easy to navigate the indoor sections.

Once you have seen the main building and perused the shop you can venture outside. The weather started to turn once I got to the outdoor section. Sadly, my Okinawa experience was very much unconventional. There are a selection of vendors selling local dishes and ice cream, so you have a good selection to choose from.

For me the prettiest part was the beaches that can be visited by walking down the stone stairs. The beaches are sandy, and pieces of coral can be found on them which I enjoyed as it was a change from the usual UK beaches which are either sandy with shells or rocky. Okinawa’s seas are also a beautiful turquoise a much-preferred colour than the grey murky seas which surround the UK.

Outside the aquarium you can find the turtles, dolphins and belugas along with the other attractions I previously mentioned.  You can walk to several beaches in the area and enjoy the good weather.

My trip to the aquarium was a fun one and I enjoyed having both indoor and outdoor sections. The giftshop sells many cute items and there is a limited aquarium soda that can be purchased in the shop or vending machine. It is decorated with the whale shark and the aquariums logo. I recommend setting aside a full day for the aquarium and allowing for travel time. The location is beautiful and there is enough to keep you occupied and feed for the day.