Suma Aqualife Park, Public aquarium in Suma Seaside Park, Kobe, Japan.
Suma Aqualife Park is a public aquarium located along the waterfront in Suma-ku, Kobe, where marine life from different climates lives across three floors. The main tank holds over a thousand tons of seawater and provides space for sharks and rays to swim, while smaller zones display penguins, Amazon fish, and invertebrates.
The site traces back to the Warakuen Aquarium built in 1897, which was the first in Japan to operate with a complete filtration system. The current facility opened in July 1987, replacing older structures with modern tanks and exhibition spaces.
The name comes from the district of Suma, where the aquarium draws families from across the Kansai region who spend weekends watching marine animals together. Staff members lead daily sessions with dolphins and sea otters, demonstrating how these animals communicate and interact with one another in ways that visitors can observe up close.
Visitors can reach the site by taking City Bus Number 81 from Suma Station, which stops directly in front of the entrance. The facility is accessible for wheelchair users, and most areas can be explored without steep inclines.
The Amazon section guides visitors through the first underwater tunnel built in Japan, where large freshwater fish swim overhead. The glass offers a wraparound view of species that would normally be seen only from above, creating the feeling of being submerged yourself.
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