Japan is Nippon 日本語
Modern glass-and-stone building of the Umigatari aquarium in Joetsu, Niigata
Photo: Tail furry, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Niigata · zoo aquarium

Joetsu City Aquarium Umigatari

上越市立水族博物館 うみがたり

Joetsu's aquarium right by the Sea of Japan, with a terrace where the big tank seems to merge into the sea, and Japan's largest group of Magellanic penguins.

A dolphin leaping at the Umigatari dolphin stadium with the Sea of Japan in the background
Photo: Gant223, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons
Two Magellanic penguins standing on rocks in the penguin area at Umigatari aquarium
Photo: Gant223, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons

A new look for a city aquarium with 80+ years of history

Umigatari is a city-run aquarium in Joetsu, Niigata Prefecture. Joetsu's aquarium history goes back to 1934, and after several moves and rebuilds it reopened in its current building in June 2018. It is run by Yokohama Hakkeijima Inc., the company behind Hakkeijima Sea Paradise in Yokohama.

The nickname Umigatari (roughly, "sea tales") expresses the hope that it will become a place where visitors talk together about the sea and create new stories. Its theme is the Sea of Japan, which stretches out right in front of it.

A giant tank and terrace that meet the Sea of Japan

At the heart of the aquarium is the Umigatari Great Tank, which shows creatures that live in the Sea of Japan. From the Umigatari Tube, an underwater tunnel surrounded by acrylic on all sides, you can look up at the fish up close.

The Sea of Japan Terrace on the top floor is an open-air space designed so that the surface of the great tank and the surface of the Sea of Japan look like one continuous stretch of water. At the Dolphin Stadium next door, dolphins perform with the Sea of Japan as their backdrop.

Japan's largest group of Magellanic penguins

The Magellanic Penguin Museum lets you see, up close, what the official website says is the largest group of Magellanic penguins kept in Japan. You can watch them from both the first and second floors.

There is also the Friend Pool, where spotted seals swim lazily about, a jellyfish exhibit, and a touch pool where you can handle sea creatures.

Getting there and your visit

The nearest station is Naoetsu Station on the Echigo Tokimeki Railway and JR, about 15 minutes' walk away. There is a tourist information centre at the station's North Exit where staff can give you directions to the aquarium and bus times. By car, it is about 15 minutes from the Joetsu Interchange on the Hokuriku Expressway, and there is a free car park.

Joetsu City's tourism website suggests allowing about 90 minutes. Naoetsu Beach is about 5 minutes' walk away. Opening hours and event times change with the season, so check the official website.

Tips

  • The dolphin performances and penguin events are held at set times. When you arrive, check the day's schedule first and plan your route around it.
  • If you drive, the official website asks you to avoid the Ishibashi intersection and approach along the coast road from the Shimogennyu intersection to avoid congestion.
  • The Sea of Japan Terrace is outdoors, so bring a jacket on windy days or in the colder months.

Sources

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

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