AugustYosakoi Festival
Chugoku & Shikoku ・ Kochi & Shimanto
Every year August 9–12 (eve festival on the 9th, main festival on the 10th and 11th, national contest and after-party on the 12th)
Aquarium · Chugoku & Shikoku
Katsurahama Aquarium
Kochi & ShimantoIndoor & outdoor
Overview
Overview
An aquarium inside Katsurahama Park, right in front of Katsurahama, one of Kochi's most famous scenic spots. It keeps about 4,000 creatures of around 220 species, and most of the facility is an open-air outdoor area with views of Katsurahama Beach and Tosa Bay. You can also bring your pet inside.
- Address
- Katsurahama Park, 778 Urado, Kochi, Kochi 781-0262
- Closed
- None (open year-round)
- Official website
- https://katurahama-aq.jp/
Tickets & tours for this attractionPR
Highlights
Highlights
You can see Steller sea lions, sea lions, otters, sea turtles, Japanese lates (akame), and more. The feeding experiences, where you can feed the animals directly, are popular, and there's also a unique experience called Eat Horse Mackerel at the Aquarium: FISH TANK, where you can taste the horse mackerel you catch on the spot.
Hours
Opening hours
Opening hours9:00–17:00
Last entry 16:30
Hours vary by day and season. Check the official website before you go.
Tickets
Prices & tickets
Adults¥1,600
Tax included
Elementary & junior high students¥600
Tax included
Young children (from age 3)¥400
Tax included
Disability discountAdults ¥800, elementary & junior high students ¥300, young children ¥200
Show a disability certificate (including an intellectual disability certificate). ¥100 off for one caregiver
Annual passAdults ¥6,000, elementary & junior high students ¥2,000, young children ¥1,000
Tax included
Prices include tax and may change. Check the official website before buying.
🎫 How to buy tickets
- →Showing a disability certificate (including an intellectual disability certificate) gets the holder a discount and ¥100 off for one caregiver
- →The adult annual pass is ¥6,000 and pays for itself after about 4 visits
Tickets & tours for this attractionPR
Tips
Tips for travelers
- ✓Easy to combine with a walk along Katsurahama Beach. You can see Katsurahama and Tosa Bay from inside the aquarium
- ✓As of October 2026, the landline phone is out of service, so contact them via the official Facebook or Instagram
- ✓The feeding experiences are popular. You can feed Steller sea lions, sea lions, and others directly
Access
Getting there
- From major stations & airports
- JR Kochi Station: Tosaden Kotsu bus bound for Katsurahama (About 30 min)
- Harimayabashi: Tosaden Kotsu bus bound for Katsurahama (About 30 min)
- Kochi IC: Car (About 30 min)
- Kochi Ryoma Airport: Car or taxi (About 30 min)
- Getting back
- There's no dedicated parking, so use the municipal Katsurahama Park parking lot
Weather
Weather & what to wear
Autumn
In 2026, the Hama Lab Area near the main building entrance is closed for maintenance until October 10.
- ☂ Rainy days
- Most areas are outdoors, so bring rain gear on rainy days
- Heat
- Mostly outdoor areas, so take precautions against sun and heat in summer
- Cold
- Many outdoor areas face the sea, so wear warm clothing in winter
Rules
Rules & what you can bring
- !Pets are welcome. Show proof of vaccination at the ticket counter
- !Pets must wear manner wear (pet diapers or belts) and be kept on a leash or in a carrier. Pets that are aggressive toward other pets are not admitted
- !When crowded, you may be asked to carry your pet. If your pet keeps barking and stresses the aquarium animals, you may be asked to leave
Facilities
Facilities & services
- Accessibility
- Discounted admission with a disability certificate (including an intellectual disability certificate)
Events
Events & festivals in Kochi & Shimanto
AugustAttractions
Attractions in Chugoku & Shikoku
ZooAkiyoshidai Safari Land
Chugoku & Shikoku ・ Hagi, Tsunoshima & Akiyoshidai
A safari-style animal park in the Akiyoshidai area where you can see animals without leaving your car. Besides the Safari Zone that you drive through in your own car, there's a feeding bus that tours by dedicated bus, a Walking Zone where you can interact with animals on foot, and an amusement park with free admission.
AquariumShimonoseki Marine Science Museum Kaikyokan
Chugoku & Shikoku ・ Shimonoseki, Yamaguchi
A Shimonoseki City aquarium facing the Kanmon Straits. Under the concept Life in the Sea, the Sea and Life, it's known for a tank recreating the Kanmon Straits currents and its world-leading display of about 100 species of pufferfish. It reopened after renovation in August 2025, adding Hireashi Beach, a new California sea lion exhibit.
ZooMatsue Vogel Park
Chugoku & Shikoku ・ Izumo & Matsue
A flower and bird themed park spread over hills on the shore of Lake Shinji. Its 320,000㎡ grounds include display greenhouses totaling 12,000㎡, and the main facilities are linked by covered walkways, so you can get around without an umbrella even on rainy days. The Ichibata Electric Railway station connects directly to the park.
AquariumMiyajima Public Aquarium (Miyaji-Marine)
Chugoku & Shikoku ・ Hiroshima & Miyajima
An aquarium themed on the Seto Inland Sea, on Miyajima, home of the World Heritage-listed Itsukushima Shrine. It reopened after renovation in 2011 and displays more than 15,000 creatures of 380 species, centered on Seto Inland Sea life. It will be closed from December 1, 2026 to March 31, 2027 for equipment upgrades and repair work, so visit by November 30.
Botanical gardenRitsurin Garden
Chugoku & Shikoku ・ Takamatsu, Naoshima & Shodoshima
A feudal lord's garden in central Takamatsu, designated a national Special Place of Scenic Beauty. With 6 ponds and 13 artificial hills, and Mt. Shiun and its pine forest behind it as borrowed scenery, it offers views that change with every step. It opens early in the morning, making it good for a morning stroll.
AquariumShikoku Aquarium
Chugoku & Shikoku ・ Utazu, Kagawa
An aquarium that opened in Utazu, Kagawa Prefecture, in 2020. Themed on Shikoku Waterscapes, it recreates the waters surrounding Shikoku, including the Seto Inland Sea, the Pacific Ocean with the Kuroshio Current, and clear rivers such as the Shimanto and Niyodo, in about 70 waterscape exhibits. It's about a 12-minute walk from JR Utazu Station.
ZooEhime Prefectural Tobe Zoological Park
Chugoku & Shikoku ・ Tobe, Ehime
An Ehime Prefecture-run zoo in Tobe, about 20 minutes by car from central Matsuyama. Under the concept A Zoo Full of Everyone's Smiles, it keeps many animals, including polar bears, African elephants, Malayan tapirs, sea lions, and flamingos. Admission is an affordable ¥600 for adults.
ExperienceTottori Sand Dunes Sand Museum
Chugoku & Shikoku ・ Tottori
The world's first museum dedicated to sand sculptures, right next to the Tottori Sand Dunes. The theme changes every year, and works by sand sculptors from Japan and abroad are displayed indoors. From April 24, 2026 to January 3, 2027, the 17th exhibition, Travel Around the World in Sand: Spain, is on.
☂ Mostly indoors · rain-friendly
ExperienceOnaruto Bridge Walkway Uzu-no-Michi
Chugoku & Shikoku ・ Naruto, Tokushima
A 450m-long walkway built inside the girders of the Onaruto Bridge. From 45m above the sea, you can look straight down on the whirlpools of the Naruto Strait. It's a Tokushima Prefecture facility inside Naruto Park and can be visited together with the neighboring Onaruto Bridge Memorial Hall Eddy.
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
