Izu Mito Sea Paradise, Public aquarium in Numazu, Japan.
Izu Mito Sea Paradise is a public aquarium in Numazu displaying marine life from Suruga Bay, with separate zones for dolphins, sea lions and penguins. The site spreads across several buildings and outdoor areas along the edge of a sheltered inlet, featuring large performance pools and seating for demonstrations.
The aquarium opened in 1930 as Nakanoshima Aquarium and stands as the second oldest operating aquarium in Japan. It adopted its current name in 1977 and has expanded the facilities several times since.
The park calls itself a place to play, learn and touch, and visitors can hold starfish and small fish in dedicated touching pools. The trainers offer short demonstrations with seals and dolphins throughout the day, showing how closely they work with the animals.
The facility opens daily at 9 AM and closes around 5 PM, with longer hours on weekends and holidays. The paths between areas are mostly level, but some sections are outdoors and can be slippery when wet.
The institution was the first in Japan to successfully breed bottlenose dolphins, walruses and sea otters. Today the team continues to care for rare species and shares husbandry knowledge with other parks.
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