Sunplaza Aquarium, located in Atsubetsu Ward, Sapporo City, has been a beloved attraction for Sapporo residents for over 30 years!
This is an urban aquarium located next to a multi-purpose complex. It's within walking distance of JR and subway stations, making it convenient to stop by while shopping.

Despite its compact size, the well-thought-out events are fun! We'll introduce you to ways to enjoy Sunplaza Aquarium, which will satisfy both children and adults.

Table of contents
1. This is what Sunplaza Aquarium is like.
2. How to enjoy fish-related events
2-1 "Otter Interaction Time"
2-2 "The Fish Circus Show"
2-3 "The Underworld Exploration Team"
3. A popular spot for young children to interact with animals.
4. 1,500 fish swim around in the large tank!
5. Conclusion

It is the only urban aquarium in Hokkaido that is not located adjacent to the sea.
Since it's an all-weather facility, rain, wind, and even snow are no problem!

Located next to a shopping mall, it's a popular date spot.
The best thing about it is that it's directly connected to the station.

The aquarium houses approximately 200 species of animals, with about 10,000 individual specimens on display.

In addition to saltwater and freshwater fish, you can also encounter marine mammals such as penguins, seals, and otters. Open year-round.
The prices are very reasonable!!

What's more, the Sapporo City Youth Science Museum is right next door, making it popular with families with young children.

While it's perfectly fine to simply admire the fish displayed along the designated route, you absolutely shouldn't miss the "fish events" presented by the zookeepers at Sunplaza Aquarium!

The content varies depending on the day of the week, so it's essential to check the event schedule and times in advance!

I enjoyed this event on this day.

■Otter interaction time
■ Fish Circus Show
■Behind the Scenes Exploration Team

Planning your visit to coincide with event times will allow you to see everything very efficiently.

2-1 "Otter Interaction Time"

As the popular event "Otter Interaction Time" approaches, you can see that the otter is getting restless.
A cylindrical passageway connects the otter to the visitors, set up in a large enclosure.

This appears to be a secret spot where you can interact with otters. When you open the stopper of the tube, the otter's tiny paws, which have been waiting impatiently, reach out towards you with a quick "quick quick" sound.

The sight elicited cries of "So cute!" from the audience.

Their desperate expressions were incredibly cute, and upon closer inspection, I noticed that the zookeeper was holding a small piece of food in her hand.

This explains why the otter is so desperate, lol.

"Otter Interaction Time" - A long line has formed today as well, with people wanting to touch the otters.

2-2 "The Fish Circus Show"

At the "Fish Circus Show," you can watch a show featuring a wide variety of animals.

Here's a picture of a seal eating its food. It's eating politely, following the instructions of its handler.

Have you ever seen an electric eel generating electricity?

When food was put into the tank, the electric eels became extremely excited, and an 800-volt current flowed through the tank, making the entire tank bright.

This tank, labeled "Golf," contains a striped beakfish.

A striped beakfish charges towards a golf ball! You can witness the striped beakfish's acrobatic feat of achieving a "hole-in-one."

2-3 "The Underworld Exploration Team"

This project allows you to explore the 'behind-the-scenes' of the Sunplaza Aquarium!

This event is open to elementary school students and older. If the number of applicants exceeds the capacity, a lottery will be held.

Don't forget to check the schedule beforehand, put on your helmet, and let's go on our adventure!

We opened a staff-only door that's normally off-limits, and infiltrated the back of the aquarium.

If you go up the stairs right after entering, you'll reach a spot where you can look down on the display tanks.

Apparently, they feed the animals from this location.

The aquarium is lit up, and the light from the water's surface shimmers and reflects on the ceiling, creating a magical atmosphere.

You can get a glimpse behind the scenes of the aquarium, something you would never normally get to see.

There's a small kitchen space in the back where they prepare the fish's daily meals.

They apparently cut the food into bite-sized pieces to suit each individual fish before feeding it to them.

The zookeeper then showed us a crab's molted exoskeleton.

This isn't a dead crab. It molts completely, right down to the tips of its claws!

You'll have a truly valuable experience on the "Behind the Scenes Exploration Team," where you have to be careful of your footing and what's above you.

In the "Touching Pool," you can directly touch shellfish and starfish.

The pool is low enough for even small children to look into, and the space, about 10 meters wide, is home to a multitude of creatures.

The concept seems to be to get people interested in marine life by allowing them to touch them directly.

"It's shaped like a star!" "Starfish are hard, aren't they?" The little children were very interested!

Are you familiar with the fish called "Garra rufa"? It seems to be more widely known by the name "Doctor Fish."
You can enjoy putting your hands into the tank, which is about 1 meter wide.

This freshwater fish, belonging to the carp family, is about 3 cm long and is known for pecking at skin and eating dead skin cells.
The children are having fun putting their hands in, giggling and laughing.

The way the fish peck at you seems to become quite addictive.

In a large tank measuring 12 meters wide and 2 meters deep, 1,500 fish swim, recreating the Pacific Ocean.
On Sundays and public holidays, there are also feeding shows by marine girls!

If you are fortunate enough to have the opportunity, please enjoy it.

It looks like the stingray is spreading its wings and flying through the air.

Seeing them cross so close is truly impressive!

Besides large fish, there are also many cute and colorful fish!

A wide variety of fish are on display, from delicious fish that make it onto your dinner table to more sophisticated varieties.

How did you like the Sunplaza Aquarium, which is very popular with children?
Large aquariums are great, but this compact aquarium is also very appealing.

The ingenious way they showcase the store, making the most of its small size, is the reason it's so popular with the locals.
Please feel free to stop by when you visit Sapporo.

■Admission Fee: Adults: 900 yen, Children (ages 3 and up to junior high school): 400 yen
*A 10% discount coupon is available on our official website!
■Opening Hours: April-September 10:00-18:30, October-March 10:00-18:00
■Phone number: 011-890-2455
■Address: 2-5-7-5 Atsubetsu-Chuo, Atsubetsu-ku, Sapporo City, Hokkaido
■ URL: http://www.sunpiazza-aquarium.com/index.html

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