Japan is Nippon 日本語
An orca performance at Kamogawa Sea World with the Pacific Ocean in the background
Photo: ajari, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Chiba · zoo aquarium

Kamogawa Sea World

鴨川シーワールド

A Boso Peninsula aquarium on the Pacific, famous for orca shows. In 1976 it was Japan's first to keep belugas, and 2026 marks 50 years.

The entrance gate of Kamogawa Sea World with its large blue sign
Photo: ger531, CC BY 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
A walrus with long tusks resting in the water at Kamogawa Sea World
Photo: User:Megapixie, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

A seaside aquarium theme park

Kamogawa Sea World is an aquarium in Kamogawa, Chiba Prefecture, right on the Pacific Ocean. It opened on 1 October 1970, and alongside shows starring orcas, dolphins, sea lions and belugas (white whales) you can see all sorts of sea life, including penguins, sea turtles, walruses and jellyfish.

Inside, it is divided into areas such as Tropical Island, which recreates the seas around southern islands, and Eco-Aquarome, which follows the world of water from rivers all the way to the ocean.

A history of orcas and belugas

The star attraction is the orca show. Orcas arrived from the United States when the aquarium opened, and the shows began on opening day. In January 1998 a baby orca was born here. A summer favourite is the show in which orcas weighing over two tonnes slap the water with their huge tail flukes and shower the audience with seawater.

In 1976 this became the first place in Japan to keep belugas. It celebrated 50 years of caring for them on 19 September 2026, and the anniversary event Beluga 50th Anniversary runs until 30 June 2027. You can meet Nack, the oldest beluga, known for imitating the rise and fall of human voices, along with Nack's offspring.

Getting there

From Tokyo Station, the JR limited express Wakashio takes about two hours to the nearest station, Awa-Kamogawa. A free shuttle bus leaves from the station's west exit and gets you there in about 10 minutes. Highway buses also run from Tokyo Midtown Yaesu, near Tokyo Station.

There is an official hotel right next door, so you can also stay the night and take your time by the sea.

Tips

  • Shows run at set times. When you arrive, check the schedule on the official website or inside the aquarium first, then plan the order you will go round in.
  • The aquarium sometimes closes temporarily in bad weather such as typhoons (it did so on 21 September 2026, for example). If the weather looks rough, check the notices on the official website before you set off.
  • Opening hours and prices vary by season, so check the official website.

Sources

Updated 28 September 2026. Opening hours and prices change, so check the official site before you go.

Keep exploring

Nearby places

Hillside fields of yellow rapeseed flowers at Mother Farm in spring
Chiba · farm Mother Farm マザー牧場 A 250-hectare farm park on a Boso Peninsula hilltop overlooking Tokyo Bay and Mount Fuji: stampeding sheep, seasonal flower fields and animals to meet.
The ornate red and gold front gate of Kanteibyo temple in Yokohama Chinatown
Kanagawa · old town Yokohama Chinatown 横浜中華街 Japan's largest Chinatown, with over 600 shops packed into about 500 m square. Graze on street food as you take in colourful gates and Chinese temples.
The long red-brick Building No. 2 of the Yokohama Red Brick Warehouse under a clear blue sky
Kanagawa · historic site Yokohama Red Brick Warehouse 横浜赤レンガ倉庫 Two brick warehouses built by the state in the Meiji and Taisho eras, now a waterfront home for shops and events, with seasonal events worth coming back for.
Yokohama Landmark Tower rising above the Minato Mirai district under a blue sky
Kanagawa · landmark Yokohama Landmark Tower 横浜ランドマークタワー The 296 m skyscraper that symbolises Minato Mirai 21, with a Meiji-era stone dock at its feet: old and new port-city Yokohama in one place.
Looking up at the orange and white steel lattice of Tokyo Tower against a pale sky
Tokyo · landmark Tokyo Tower 東京タワー The 333 m red-and-white broadcast tower watching over Tokyo since 1958. Enjoy the views from its decks, or climb about 600 outdoor steps to get there.
Tokyo Skytree silhouetted above the city skyline at dusk
Tokyo · landmark Tokyo Skytree 東京スカイツリー Tokyo's 634 m landmark, the world's tallest freestanding broadcast tower, with two observation decks at 350 m and 450 m giving 360-degree views over the city.