Okinawa Churaumi Aquarium: A Family Adventure in the Ocean World

We had heard that the Kuroshio Sea at Okinawa Churaumi Aquarium is the largest tank in Asia, so how could we not take our two ocean enthusiasts there to see it? This was our family's first trip to Japan, and we planned to visit Okinawa. Surprisingly, Okinawa is even hotter than Taiwan! When we arrived, the scorching weather was a bit overwhelming.

Okinawa Churaumi Aquarium lived up to its reputation. The aquarium houses nearly 30,000 marine creatures, ranging from small tropical fish to whale sharks as long as 8.6 meters. The aquarium's design is ingenious, making us feel like we were gradually exploring the colorful, mysterious world of the deep sea. Although the aquarium is quite large, the viewing windows are small. Even though we didn't go during the summer holidays, it was still crowded, making it hard to see. I can only imagine how packed it would be during peak season, with just heads bobbing everywhere.

The highlight of our visit was the "Kuroshio Sea." This giant tank, with a capacity of 7,500 cubic meters, is the second largest aquarium tank in the world. Watching the enormous whale sharks and graceful manta rays swim by excited the children, their eyes lighting up with excitement. Seeing the world's second-largest tank in person was indeed impressive; for a moment, we felt like we were swimming alongside the marine animals.

In the afternoon, we went to the dolphin theater and found there was no shade at all. The plastic chairs in the viewing area were heated by the sun to the point they felt like grills; it was almost impossible to sit down, so few people were reserving seats. Since Lele really wanted to watch, I stayed with him under the scorching sun to wait for the dolphin show, while Mr. K took Xixi to the gift shop to enjoy the air conditioning. Despite wearing hats, we couldn't block the intense, burning sun. Before the dolphin show even ended, Lele wanted to leave because it was too hot.

After about 20 minutes in the sun, I noticed my arms were sunburned. That evening, I hurried to Don Quijote to buy aloe vera gel and applied it generously to avoid peeling. This little episode reminded us of the importance of sun protection when playing in hot weather. Coming from the U.S., we weren't used to carrying sun umbrellas, which was a big mistake!

Additionally, the gift shop is fantastic for shopping, so be sure to leave plenty of time to browse. Whether it's plush toys or souvenirs, many items are exclusive to Okinawa Churaumi Aquarium and will make you want to buy them all! There's also a special soda available only at the aquarium. It's worth a try, but it tastes like a regular ice cream soda and isn't particularly remarkable.

Okinawa Churaumi Aquarium not only displays a wealth of marine life but also offers many interactive experiences and educational activities. While the Kuroshio Sea is truly stunning, the other exhibits weren't as impressive. However, if you love marine life, it's still worth a visit to experience the awe of the world's second-largest tank.