Okinawa Churaumi Aquarium Complete Visitor Guide 2027: Whale Sharks, Manta Rays and Ocean Expo Park
2027-03-03 · 10分で読める
The world's second-largest aquarium — Okinawa Churaumi — holds a 7,500 m³ Kuroshio tank with three whale sharks, four manta rays, and a 60 cm acrylic viewing wall that was once a Guinness world record.
Okinawa Churaumi Aquarium — tucked inside Ocean Expo Park on the Motobu peninsula — holds the world's second-largest aquarium tank at 7,500 cubic metres, with three Rhincodon typus whale sharks living together (a world first), four manta rays, and an acrylic viewing wall once holding the Guinness record at 8.2 x 22.5 m.
💡Last content review: November 2026
Ticket tiers, whale shark feeding schedules and Ocean Expo Park free zones verified against Okinawa Churaumi Aquarium official site and OIST Ocean Research 2026 report.
⚡⏰ Peak-season rooms go first
Golden Week, Obon, New Year and the sakura and autumn-leaf peaks fill up fast. Once your dates are set, check availability now. Every week you wait, there are fewer rooms to choose from.
Quick facts: Churaumi 2027
| What | Detail | 予約 |
|---|---|---|
| Opened | November 2002 | |
| Area | 4 floors, part of 70-hectare Ocean Expo Park (free) | |
| Opening hours | 08:30-20:00 Mar-Sep / 08:30-18:30 Oct-Feb | |
| Adult ticket (counter) | ¥2,180 | 🏨 予約 |
| Adult ticket (after 16:00) | ¥1,510 (sunset discount) | 🏨 予約 |
| Child (6-15) | ¥720 | 🏨 予約 |
| Nearest airport | Naha (120 km, 2h drive) / Motobu town shuttle |
How to get there
- ●From Naha Airport (rental car) — Okinawa Expressway north 2 hours ¥1,100 tolls
- ●Yanbaru Express bus — Naha Airport to Churaumi, 2h30m ¥2,800
- ●Resort hotel shuttle — all Motobu/Nago resorts run free shuttles
- ●From Nago town — local bus 65 or 70, 45 min ¥950
- ●Taxi — ¥16,000+ from Naha, not economical
Motobu and Nago resorts (walking distance or free shuttle)
- ✓ Free cancellation on most rooms
- ✓ Compare 28M+ properties
- ✓ No booking fees
⏰ Lock in before prices rise — this week's rates may not hold
3 Naha / Okinawa hotels for island base
⏰ Okinawa rooms peak during Golden Week + whale season — book 2 months ahead
1. Hyatt Regency Naha Okinawa
Central Naha, walking distance to Kokusai-dori + Shuri Castle access via monorail. Pool + rooftop bar.
Book on Booking →2. Hotel JAL City Naha
Mid-budget pick on Kokusai-dori. Reliable business hotel for Naha city base. Walking distance to shopping + food.
Book on Agoda →3. The Busena Terrace
North Okinawa luxury resort — beachfront, private cove, Michelin-level dining. For honeymoon + luxury seekers.
Book on Trip.com →Prices shown on each site. We earn a small commission if you book — at no cost to you.
Which ticket to buy
- ●Online [ticket](https://www.klook.com/ja/search/?query=Japan&tp_sub=japan) — ¥1,890 (¥290 cheaper), book 30 days ahead
- ●After 16:00 Sunset Discount — ¥1,510, less crowded + night tank lighting
- ●4-attraction Combo (Churaumi + Ocean Expo attractions) — ¥2,500
- ●Annual Pass — ¥4,100, breaks even with 2 visits
- ●Group discount — ¥1,860 (20+ pax pre-booked)
Churaumi + Nakijin Castle + Motobu day tours (Klook)
- ✓ Skip-the-line e-tickets
- ✓ Mobile voucher, no printing
- ✓ Free cancellation up to 24h
⏰ Mobile voucher instantly — skip the ticket line on arrival
What's inside — the spiral
- ●4F Shark Research Lab — 11 shark species including sand tiger
- ●3F Coral Garden — 800 corals under natural sunlight
- ●2F Kuroshio Tank — the main event: 7,500 m³, 3 whale sharks, 4 manta rays
- ●Kuroshio Cafe behind the glass — ¥1,500 lunch beside the whale sharks
- ●1F Deep Sea — bioluminescent fish, abyss zone
Churaumi behind-the-scenes aquarium tours (Klook)
- ✓ Skip-the-line e-tickets
- ✓ Mobile voucher, no printing
- ✓ Free cancellation up to 24h
⏰ Mobile voucher instantly — skip the ticket line on arrival
Feeding times
- ●Whale shark feeding — 15:00 and 17:00 daily, 15-min show, must-see
- ●Manta ray feeding — included in whale shark feeding (same tank)
- ●Dolphin show (free, Ocean Expo Park) — 10:30, 11:30, 13:00, 15:30, 17:00
- ●Manatee pavilion feeding — 14:00 (free)
- ●Sea turtle pavilion — rolling, keeper on-site
🎯The 15:00 whale shark + 15:30 dolphin loop
Arrive at Kuroshio tank at 14:45 for 15:00 whale shark feeding, walk 10 min to the free outdoor dolphin pool for the 15:30 show, loop back for the 17:00 whale shark session. You see the two biggest attractions twice at prime time.
The free Ocean Expo Park
- ●Dolphin show (free) — 5x daily at Okichan Theater, world-class dolphins
- ●Manatee pavilion (free) — rare manatees up close
- ●Sea turtle pavilion (free) — breeding + release program viewing
- ●Emerald Beach (free, swimming Apr-Oct) — one of Okinawa's best
When to visit
- ●Best weather — April-May (before rainy season), October-November
- ●Rainy season — June, avoid outdoor dolphin show
- ●Typhoon risk — August-September
- ●Winter (Dec-Feb) — 18C, uncrowded, cheaper flights
- ●Avoid — Golden Week (May), Obon (Aug), Christmas week
Luxury Okinawa resorts (Hyatt, Hilton, Ritz-Carlton)
- ✓ Free cancellation on most rooms
- ✓ Compare 28M+ properties
- ✓ No booking fees
⏰ Lock in before prices rise — this week's rates may not hold
💰Compare live hotel prices — Motobu Nago Okinawa
Price checkSame dates, same destination — platforms often differ by 10-25%. Opening all three in new tabs is the fastest way to spot the deal.
Affiliate links — we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you.
Bookable Churaumi experiences
- ●Churaumi + Nakijin Castle + Pineapple Park day [tour](https://www.klook.com/ja/search/?query=Japan&tp_sub=japan) from Naha — ¥7,500
- ●Churaumi + Kouri Island combo day [tour](https://www.klook.com/ja/search/?query=Japan&tp_sub=japan) — ¥8,500
- ●Behind-the-scenes aquarium [tour](https://www.klook.com/ja/search/?query=Japan&tp_sub=japan) (early access) — ¥5,500 adult, 90 min
- ●Private van Naha-Motobu-Naha — ¥32,000 for 4 pax
Reserve Churaumi + Okinawa day tour packages (Klook)
- ✓ Skip-the-line e-tickets
- ✓ Mobile voucher, no printing
- ✓ Free cancellation up to 24h
⏰ Mobile voucher instantly — skip the ticket line on arrival
Japan eSIM — set it up before you fly
- ✓ Works instantly on arrival
- ✓ No SIM card swap
- ✓ Buy before you fly
⏰ Activate the moment you land — no more hunting for free airport Wi-Fi
Japan travel insurance — get covered before you fly
- ✓ Covers Japan medical + evacuation
- ✓ From $45/month flexible
- ✓ Cancel anytime
⏰ Japan doesn't accept most foreign health cards — one ER visit = your whole trip budget
Golden Week and summer-break tickets fill up for Churaumi
- Motobu peninsula resorts sold out 4+ months ahead for Golden Week, Obon and Christmas
- Naha-Motobu Yanbaru bus seats cap at 400/day in peak season — gone 3 days ahead
- After 16:00 sunset discount tickets cap at ~3,000/day — gone 1 week ahead on peak weekends
Affiliate link — we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you.
FAQ
- ●Churaumi or Kaiyukan [Osaka](https://www.booking.com/searchresults.html?ss=Osaka&aid=8095781&label=auto-osaka-autolink&nflt=review_score%3D80&order=popularity)? Churaumi has the bigger tank + Okinawa setting. Kaiyukan is easier to reach.
- ●Can I visit without a car? Yes via Yanbaru bus but 1-day tours from Naha are better value.
- ●How long is a visit? 3-4 hours for aquarium + dolphin show + lunch.
- ●Can I swim with whale sharks? No, but behind-the-scenes tour includes top-of-tank catwalk.
- ●Stroller/wheelchair? Fully accessible, elevators.
- ●Credit cards? All major cards + IC + QR.
- ●Food? Kuroshio Cafe inside; nearby cafes in Ocean Expo Park.
- ●Lockers? Free lockers at entrance.
- ●Open on New Year? Yes — closed Dec 31 only.
- ●Pet-friendly? Service dogs only inside aquarium.
🛠️ 無料の旅行ツール
登録不要・広告なしのインタラクティブツール。
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