AprilInuyama Matsuri
Chubu & Hokuriku ・ Nagoya
Usually the first Saturday and Sunday of April (Saturday is the Shigaku-sai, Sunday the Honraku-sai)
Aquarium · Chubu & Hokuriku
Port of Nagoya Public Aquarium
NagoyaIndoor & outdoor
Overview
Overview
A large aquarium at Garden Pier in Nagoya Port, made up of two buildings: the North Building, showing marine mammals such as orcas, belugas, and dolphins, and the South Building, themed on a journey to Antarctica. It's a 5-minute walk from Nagoyako Station on the Meiko Subway Line, and conveniently reachable from central Nagoya by subway alone.
- Address
- 1-3 Minato-machi, Minato-ku, Nagoya, Aichi 455-0033
- Closed
- Mondays (varies by date; check the official calendar)
- Time needed
- 2–3 hours (including the dolphin performance)
- Official website
- https://nagoyaaqua.jp/
Highlights
Highlights
The top highlight is the dolphin performance (about 20 min) in the main pool on 3F of the North Building, and you can also watch public orca training sessions. In the South Building, popular exhibits include the Sardine Tornado, where schools of sardines swirl in the large Kuroshio tank, the penguin exhibit including emperor penguins, and the deep-sea and jellyfish exhibits.
Hours
Opening hours
Opening hours9:30–17:30
Entry until 1 hour before closing. Subject to change by day; check the official calendar
Dolphin performance10:30 / 12:30 / 14:30 / 16:30
Main pool, 3F of the North Building; about 20 min
Hours vary by day and season. Check the official website before you go.
Tickets
Prices & tickets
Adults & high school students¥2,030
Elementary & junior high students¥1,010
Young children (age 4+)¥500
Free for age 3 and under
Evening ticket (from 17:00, limited periods)Adults & high school students ¥1,620, elementary & junior high students ¥800, young children ¥400
4-facility combo ticketAdults & high school students ¥2,440, elementary & junior high students ¥1,210, young children ¥500
Aquarium, Port Building Observation Deck, Antarctic Research Ship Fuji, Nagoya Maritime Museum
Annual passAdults & high school students ¥5,190, elementary & junior high students ¥2,540, young children ¥1,220
People with disabilitiesFree
Admission waived with a disability certificate
Prices include tax and may change. Check the official website before buying.
🎫 How to buy tickets
- →The ticket counter accepts credit cards (VISA, JCB, etc.) and transit e-money such as manaca and TOICA
- →If you'll also visit the Garden Pier observation deck, the Antarctic Research Ship Fuji, and the Maritime Museum, the 4-facility combo ticket is cheaper
- →With a re-entry stamp, you can come and go as often as you like on the day (until 1 hour before closing)
Tips
Tips for travelers
- ✓Plan the order of the North and South Buildings around the dolphin performance times (10:30 / 12:30 / 14:30 / 16:30) for an efficient visit
- ✓Closed on Mondays (varies by date). Check the official calendar
- ✓5 min walk from Nagoyako Station, the terminus of the Meiko Subway Line
- ✓The sea turtle breeding facility is closed for maintenance (as of October 2026)
Access
Getting there
- Nearest station
- Nagoyako Station (Meiko Subway Line)5 min walk from Exit 3
- From major stations & airports
- Sakae Station: Meijo Subway Line to Kanayama Station, then transfer to the Meiko Line to the Nagoyako terminus
- Nagoya Station: Higashiyama Subway Line toward Sakae or connect toward Kanayama, then the Meiko Line to Nagoyako Station
- IC cards
- Transit IC cards can be used on the Nagoya Municipal Subway. The aquarium ticket counter also accepts manaca, TOICA, and others
- Getting back
- Parking at the Garden Pier parking lot and the West parking lot (5 min walk). Regular cars ¥100 per 30 min, max ¥1,000 per 24 hours. Weekends get crowded, so public transportation is recommended
- Same-day re-entry is allowed, so you can combine it with the Antarctic Research Ship Fuji and the Port Building Observation Deck at Garden Pier
Crowds
Crowds & best time to go
- Busy
- Weekends (the aquarium asks visitors to use public transportation)
- Time needed
- 2–3 hours (including the dolphin performance)
Weather
Weather & what to wear
Summer
During some periods, a limited-time evening ticket for entry after 17:00 is sold.
Autumn
Public beluga training sessions resumed on October 1, 2026. The special exhibition KINGYO: Japan's Goldfish Culture Through the Four Seasons is on.
- ☂ Rainy days
- Exhibits are indoors. The dolphin performance is watched from stadium seating
- Heat
- Air-conditioned inside. Note the 5-minute outdoor walk from the station
- Cold
- It faces the port, so the sea breeze can be cold
- What to wear & bring
- Everyday clothes are fine. Tripods, monopods, and selfie sticks cannot be used
Rules
Rules & what you can bring
- !Food and drink brought from outside may only be consumed at the North Building Shiokaze Plaza (outdoors) and the North Building 3F stadium seating
- !Tripods, monopods, and selfie sticks are prohibited. Flash photography is prohibited in some areas
- !Assistance dogs only; no other pets
- !Smoking only in the smoking area south of the South Building exit (outside the building)
Facilities
Facilities & services
- Lockers & luggage
- Coin lockers to the left of the North Building entrance and in the connecting passage (small ¥200, large ¥300, extra-large ¥400)
- Payment
- Ticket counter: credit cards (VISA, JCB, etc.) and transit e-money (manaca, TOICA, etc.). Varies by shop
- Strollers & wheelchairs
- Stroller rental ¥100 per day per use (age 7–24 months). Free wheelchair loans (limited number)
- Accessibility
- Wheelchair accessible throughout. Nursing rooms on 2F of the North Building and 2F of the South Building. Admission waived with a disability certificate
- Language support
- The official website has information in English, Chinese (Simplified and Traditional), and Korean
Where to Stay · Agoda
Places to Stay near Port of Nagoya Public AquariumPR
- PR7.7
ホテルウォーターゲート名古屋 レジャーホテル カップル
★★Check rates on Agoda664 reviews0.7 km from center 
PR7.0旅館広船
★★★Check rates on Agoda39 reviews1.3 km from center
Prices and availability are shown on Agoda.
Events
Events & festivals in Nagoya
April
OctoberNagoya Festival
Chubu & Hokuriku ・ Nagoya
Usually a Saturday and Sunday in mid-October
2026 (72nd): Oct 17 (Sat) – Oct 18 (Sun), 2 days (no Nagoya Festival processions)
Attractions
Attractions in Chubu & Hokuriku
ExperienceFukui Prefectural Dinosaur Museum
Chubu & Hokuriku ・ Katsuyama, Fukui
A dinosaur-themed museum in Katsuyama, Fukui Prefecture. It displays 51 complete dinosaur skeletons along with fossils, dioramas, and life-size models, and a new wing was added in 2023. Tickets are generally bought in advance for a specific date and time, so book on the official website once your itinerary is set.
☂ Mostly indoors · rain-friendlyAdvance, date-specific tickets required
Theme parkGhibli Park
Chubu & Hokuriku ・ Nagakute, Aichi
A park facility recreating the worlds of Studio Ghibli films, located inside Expo 2005 Aichi Commemorative Park in Nagakute, Aichi Prefecture. It's divided into five areas, and all tickets are date-specific and must be bought in advance; you cannot buy admission at a ticket window on the day. Tickets go on sale at 14:00 on the 10th of the month two months before your visit, so plan your purchase early once your itinerary is set.
Advance, date-specific tickets required
ExperienceHida Folk Village (Hida no Sato)
Chubu & Hokuriku ・ Takayama
An open-air museum in Takayama where more than 30 buildings, including thatched- and shingle-roofed farmhouses relocated from across the Hida region, are arranged like a village. It's about 9 minutes by Sarubobo Bus from the Takayama Nohi Bus Center, making it easy to combine with sightseeing in Takayama's old town.
ZooHigashiyama Zoo and Botanical Gardens
Chubu & Hokuriku ・ Nagoya
A zoo and botanical garden run by Nagoya City, home to about 450 animal species and about 7,000 plant species on roughly 60 ha. It's a 3-minute walk from Higashiyama-koen Station on the Higashiyama Subway Line, easy to reach from the city center, and you can spend a full day enjoying the zoo, the botanical garden, and Higashiyama Sky Tower. Admission fees were revised on October 1, 2026.
ZooJigokudani Yaen-koen (Snow Monkey Park)
Chubu & Hokuriku ・ Nagano / Yudanaka-Shibu Onsen
A park in the mountains of Yamanouchi, Nagano Prefecture, where you can observe wild Japanese macaques up close. It's famous for its monkeys bathing in hot springs in winter. The entrance is about a 30-minute walk along a mountain path from the parking lot or bus stop, so wear shoes and clothing suited to the season.
ExperienceKurobe Gorge Railway (Torokko Train)
Chubu & Hokuriku ・ Toyama / Tateyama Kurobe Alpine Route
A torokko (open-air) train running from Unazuki Onsen deep into the Kurobe Gorge. Full-line service between Unazuki and Keyakidaira resumed on October 1, 2026, and you can ride all the way to the Keyakidaira terminus during the operating season until November 30. From the windowless open cars, you can enjoy the beauty of the gorge and the views from the railway bridges.
Theme parkLEGOLAND Japan Resort
Chubu & Hokuriku ・ Nagoya
An outdoor theme park based on the world of LEGO bricks, located at Kinjo Pier in Nagoya Port. Aimed mainly at children aged 2–12 and their families, it has more than 40 rides, shows, and attractions. Together with the adjoining SEA LIFE Nagoya aquarium and hotel, it forms a resort.
ExperienceMuseum Meiji-mura
Chubu & Hokuriku ・ Inuyama, Aichi
An open-air museum in Inuyama, Aichi Prefecture, where buildings from the Meiji era have been relocated, preserved, and opened to the public. The buildings are spread across the large village grounds, and you can walk through Meiji-era streetscapes while touring their interiors. You can also ride the SL (steam locomotive) and streetcar that run through the village.
ExperienceSCMAGLEV and Railway Park
Chubu & Hokuriku ・ Nagoya
A railway museum run by JR Central, displaying real Shinkansen, conventional line, and superconducting maglev vehicles. It's entirely indoors and about a 2-minute walk from Kinjofuto Station on the Aonami Line. With driving simulators and a large diorama, it's fun for families as well as railway fans.
☂ Mostly indoors · rain-friendly
Hours, prices and access are based on official and other primary sources. They may change, so check the official website before you go.
Last checked: 2026-10-02