Aqua World, Public aquarium in Oarai, Japan
Aqua World is a public aquarium in Oarai, built over five floors with 65 exhibition tanks arranged in eight themed zones. The facility houses thousands of marine organisms, including various sharks, rays, jellyfish and fish from Pacific waters.
The complex opened in March 2002 after construction work that replaced an older aquarium dating from the 1950s. The project transformed the original facility into a multi-story marine center with modern holding systems.
The exhibition focuses on marine life from the waters off Ibaraki, where two ocean currents converge and create rich feeding grounds for local fishermen. Coastal communities in the area have long depended on these waters, and the tanks reflect species that appear in traditional catches and seasonal markets.
Most visitors arrive by car and park near the entrance area inside Oarai Public Park. The route leads through different levels, and there are elevators for wheelchair users or families with strollers.
The facility keeps one of the most extensive collections of shark species in Japan, with dozens of different types in specially designed tanks. Research teams use the space for studies on the behavior and reproduction of these cartilaginous fish.
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