Marinarea Guide
The Okinawa Churaumi Aquarium is located in Ocean Expo Park. Stop by and say hello to Dolphins, Sea Turtles, and other friends of the sea in the neighboring attractions.
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- Sea Turtle Pool
Have fun learning about the ecology of sea turtles
Sea Turtle Pool
Of the eight species of sea turtles that exist worldwide, the Sea Turtle Pool is home to hawksbill turtles, loggerhead turtles, green sea turtle as well as Kemp's Ridley turtles and black turtles, which are rarely found in Japan.
From above the turtle pool, you can see a sand area for the turtles to lay their eggs. You can also view the turtles swimming on the water surface, or watch them swimming underwater from the underground observation room.
The underground observation room also contains many panels that show the results of surveys of sea turtle ecology.
- Admission to the Sea Turtle Pool is free.
- For the re-entry of the Aquarium during the same day, please get a re-entry stamp on your hand from the staff before leaving the Aquarium. Your ticket stub is also valid for re-entry.
- Access
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- It is a 5-minute walk from the Okinawa Churaumi Aquarium exit.
- If you use a tour bus, get off at number 4, “Aquarium Rotary”.
- Notes:
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- Please refrain from tossing things in the pool.
- Please be careful not to drop objects into the water when you visit the pool, as the animals may mistake them for food and eat them.
Marine life found in this area
Must-see Points
A sea turtle born in the Sea Turtle Pool- A hawksbill turtle that hatched in the aquarium's egg-laying area in 1994 is now on display. This hawksbill turtle was the first of its kind to be born from an egg laid in an aquarium. For successfully breeding a green turtle in captivity in 1999, the aquarium received a breeding award from the Japanese Association of Zoos and Aquariums (JAZA).
Churaumi Aquarium Tank Talk
Sea Turtle Release Party- In summer every year, the 'Sea Turtle Release Party' meets up. Okinawa Churaumi Aquarium has been releasing turtles since 1983, and as of July 2009 has let around 2000 baby turtles venture out from Ocean Expo Park.
New Record! Loggerhead Turtle Swims 10,000km across the Pacific!- Off the coast of San Diego in 1987, a loggerhead turtle became entangled in the nets of local fishermen. On that turtle was a marker showing that it had been released from Churaumi Aquarium. The turtle, which had been released in 1985, had swum 10,000 km across the Pacific Ocean in the space of just two years. Although there are still many things to discover about the movement of sea turtles, this episode showed for the first time that a baby turtle is capable of crossing the Pacific. Since that time, many of Okinawa's tagged turtles have been discovered around Japan and overseas.
*Please note that there are reading mistake.