News
2023.12.13Backyard Tours at Aquaworld Ibaraki Prefectural Oarai Aquarium: Shark Feeding Experience and more, Ibaraki DC Aquaworld Ibaraki Prefectural Oarai Aquarium, located in Oarai town, home to 68,000 creatures of 580 species in a total of 60 tanks, is one of the largest aquariums in Japan. It holds giant mambos, shining iwashi, and many other fish, as well as seals, dolphins, penguins, and more! Among them, the aquarium proudly boasts more than 400 sharks of around 50 species, which is the largest collection of shark species in Japan! During the Ibaraki DC, from October to December, an exclusive experience is available here! Participants are guided by the aquarium staff to the backyard area of the facility, where they can feed the sharks themselves while observing them up close! There are seven species of sharks from around the world leisurely floating in three tanks. They include the little Japanese Tiger Shark, which grows up to only 50 centimeters; the Striped Catshark, a South African endemic species; the cute Smallspotted Catshark found from the Norwegian-British Isles to Senegal; the Australian Port Jackson Shark, which is the largest among them, growing up to 165 cm; and others. (The species of sharks may differ depending on a day.) Participants receive four types of food, such as shrimp and squid, and using tongs they drop it into the aquarium while observing as the sharks find their treats by scent. The tour is for up to 10 participants, and even children over 4 years old can join it! Visitors wishing to participate must purchase a ticket from the ticket machine in front of the Aquarium General Information. Although the shark-feeding tour can be enjoyed only during the Ibaraki Destination Campaign, there is another tour in other backyard zones available all year round (for 15 people). This tour is followed by an explanation by the aquarium keepers about their work and duties (in Japanese). October – the end of December, once a day, from 2:00 p.m. (about 30 min.) Saturdays, Sundays, and holidays, from 11:00 a.m., (approx. 30 min.) *Please note that the backyard may be slippery.
Dates
Shark Special Tour (with feeding experience)
Backyard Tour
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