Kamogawa Sea World can be found in Kamogawa City in southern Chiba. It is the largest aquarium in Chiba Prefecture, showcasing around 11,000 sea creatures from 800 different species.

*Kamogawa Sea World is a member of JAZA (Japanese Association of Zoos and Aquariums)

With characteristic exhibits that recreate their natural living environment, one of the great things about Kamogawa Sea World is their selection of animals and performances that can't be seen elsewhere, such as their beloved orca. If you're an animal lover, this is the place for you!

If you take the time to look around, then you can expect a full trip to take around four hours, including performances. The grounds, viewing spaces, and paths are nice and spacious, so you can enjoy a stress-free visit with a wheelchair or stroller.

The Kamogawa Sea World Hotel is also on the premises, and hotel guests can enter the park for free on the day of and the day following their stay. Hotel guests can enjoy an extra-special visit, with various hotel-limited packages.

In recent years, the park has been popular with international visitors, and there have been many positive reviews online:
"The facility is very spacious, and as because on the coast the view is great. It's such a wonderful place to visit."
"The dolphin, orca, beluga whale, and seal performances were amazing!"
"The level of trust between the animals and staff was amazing."

With Kamogawa Sea World's huge variety of attractions, we want to make sure you don't miss those unique to the park. Here are our recommended spots to visit.

As soon as you come through the entrance, you will be greeted by an exhibition of "Water's Lifecycle", showcasing the waters that run from the mountains down into the sea.

Here, something you've just got to see is the area that recreates life underwater in the Boso Peninsula, further out in Chiba Prefecture. It’ll feel as if you’ve dived straight into the sea right next to Kamogawa Sea World!

"Kurage Life" (Kurage meaning Jellyfish in Japanese), is an experiential area showcasing the - wait for it - life of the jellyfish.

Here you can press and hold the bar to reveal the birth of a jellyfish!

Or, put your hand on the cute little floating light, and a jellyfish will be born in the palm of your hand. It's a strange sensation to have a jellyfish appear in your very own hands.

Despite being a species of whale, the beluga is sometimes referred to as a "white dolphin" (Shiro Iruka) in Japanese. Kamogawa Sea World was the first place in Japan to start breeding beluga.

There is usually a performance involving the beluga whale that showcases their echolocation abilities with a voice mimicking section. However, last year the beluga gave birth, so to protect the health of the mother and child the performance is currently suspended (as of February 2022).

Instead, there is currently a special talk, entitled "A beluga was born!" (Beluga ga umareta). And of course, you can see the beluga swimming care-free around the tank at any time.

Here you can find a whole-body skeleton of a walrus, whose exhibition began in December 2021. It is said to be highly valuable because it is very rare to find a walrus skeleton so big in stature, that is completely intact.

Including the orca and Megamouth shark skeletons, there are a total of three specimens on display.

In the "Digital Tank" (Dejitaru Suisou), you can watch illustrated fish swim in coral-decorated waters on a huge 8-meter-wide screen. With its smooth and realistic motion, you'll do a double take when you realize it's not a real tank! Of course, you can draw your own fish to add to the tank, too.

Add your favorite colors to the fish on the touch panel. Then when you're done...

Watch it spring to life on screen with the touch of a button! The only fish in the world with your own original pattern. Children and adults alike love this exhibition, and take their drawings quite seriously!

Next up are our recommendations for the best photo spots around the park.

The "Tropical Island" zone was made with the idea of "An underwater walk in the southern seas" in mind. Walk among the reimagined coral reefs and see the vibrant creatures of the south!

It's hard to get up so close and personal with sea turtles in the wild, but at Kamogawa Sea World, that's not an issue! It's almost like they're waving hello to us!

Everyone's favorite fish! There are so many of these adorable bright orange fish, they make for a great photoshoot.

At one point, the park had an "Orca Kiss Present" activity that was very popular (currently unavailable). For those who want to experience that same feeling, the park has prepared a fun photo spot!

The panel is set up on the wall near the sea turtle beach area. The photo makes for a great memento of your trip to Kamogawa Sea World!

The vending machines dotted around Kamogawa Sea World are decorated with cute animals from around the park. Keep an eye out for each one!

At Kamogawa Sea World the real main event is the orca performance, featuring the majestic orca who sits atop the throne of the sea's food chain. Kamogawa Sea World is the only place in Japan where you can experience such an impressive spectacle, with 2-ton, 5-meter long animals working together with the skilled trainers.

The strong bond between the trainers and the orcas results in a truly one-of-a-kind performance.

The force of the orca's jump is so impressive that the front half of the audience gets pretty darn soaked! It's great to get up close to the action, but make sure you bring a poncho if you're sitting up front, because you'll get more than a bit wet! You'll have the most fun if you come prepared.

Another attraction not to be missed is the sea lion performance. In a sketch entitled "The Sea Lion's Holiday" (Ashika Ikka no Kyuujitsu), the sea lions perform a variety of tricks.

A round of applause for such impeccable balance!

When it comes to the sea lion performance at Kamogawa Sea World, their pleasant smiles are iconic. When you see it for yourself, you can't help but smile back.

If you can buy tickets in advance at the information center, you can even take a commemorative photo with the laughing sea lions after the performance (up to 5 people per group / 1500 yen pp). And at this performance you don't have to worry about getting wet.

Who doesn't love dolphins?

When they launch into their acrobatics, it's hard to take your eyes off them.

At Kamogawa Sea World, even outside of the performance times, you can come and see the dolphins close to their natural state in the nearby tanks. There are also several activities such as commemorative photoshoot and a chance to feed the dolphins, so don't miss out!

Restaurant Ocean is the only restaurant in Japan where you can dine while watching orca. Additionally, the hotels affiliated with Kamogawa Sea World are well-known for their quality services, so you can rely on the chefs to provide a quality experience.

The menu changes with the seasons, and the food is so good you'll want to come back just for the restaurant itself!

While enjoying your meal you can see the orca swimming elegantly past the windows. Talk about a luxurious meal!

With a side of rice taking the form of an adorable orca, the "Spiny Lobster Curry" (Ise Ebi Kare) (2,310 yen) uses spiny lobster caught in Chiba Prefecture. It is very popular for its exquisite roux base, which takes time and care to bring out its concentrated flavor. This is one of our favorite places to eat!

The on-site shop is well stocked with original souvenirs. We recommend making sure to leave ample time for souvenir shopping, because there's so much to choose from! From clothes to food, and even adorable stuffed animals, you'll be spoilt for choice.

When it comes to Kamogawa Sea World, their orca products are very popular! And their adorable orca-shaped chocolates, "Chokoruka" are no exception.

Stuffed animal lottery tickets (1,000 yen/ time) are also popular, as there are no losers, but you have no idea what stuffed animal you will get!

But fluffy toys aside, here are the two edible souvenirs the Live Japan editorial team particularly recommend. We've carefully selected these as they are unique to Kamogawa Sea World.

First up are the chocolate-filled marshmallows inspired by Kamogawa Sea World's cute beluga whale. The bite-sized snacks are filled with sweet chocolate, making the perfect treat. Each packet comes with 26 pieces, so they're great for sharing.

The next recommendation from our team is the adorable steamed bun (known as a manju) decorated with the image of a smiling sea lion. This comes in a pack of 12.
Each one is stamped with a cute smiling sea lion face. We also love it because of its traditional Japanese flavored filling of black sugar anko (bean paste).

Although Kamogawa Sea World makes for an easy trip from Tokyo, we highly recommend staying overnight at the Kamogawa Sea World Hotel to make the most of your trip.

Located right next door, every room has an ocean view, and guests to the hotel can enter Kamogawa Sea World free of charge at any time during their hotel stay. There are also some great features unavailable to other guests, such as visiting the orcas before park opening hours, or a night adventure after closing!

This Japanese-style room is more spacious than the others at 16.2m², and makes for a comfortable stay. Of course, the room is fully equipped with a refrigerator, so bring your favorite drinks to cool off in summer. Additionally, there are several fun original amenities, too.

Their services cater especially well to families with young children. The room comes equipped with a toilet seat for children, a stand to reach the sink, children's yukata, toothbrushes, slippers, and even a baby chair and baby bath in the bathroom.

The restaurant also has baby food and a children's menu, as well as a microwave for bottle disinfection. Baby items such as diapers and powdered milk can also be purchased at the shop.

Kamogawa Sea World is about 2 hours from Tokyo Station. If you're travelling by train, use the limited express train on the Wakashio line to head straight to "Awa-Kamogawa" station, and then hop on the free shuttle bus to the park.

Alternatively, an Express Bus can take you from Tokyo Station to Kamogawa Sea World, so no need to worry if you're not familiar with city transport. In addition, there is a discounted "AQUSEA Ticket " that combines a round-trip bus ticket with park admission.

On top of all of what we've covered today, Kamogawa Sea World has plenty of other animals and fun things to see. The exhibitions themselves are fun and interesting, and you can see them in different states of activity throughout the day, no matter when you visit. And the impressive performances are so enthralling you can end up wanting to watch them more than once!

Take a well-deserved break and head to Kamogawa Sea World to experience the magic for yourself.

Translation by: Cassandra Lord