Browse Visit Guides

Find places for rainy days, late visits, free admission, and rare animals. Every guide is limited to conditions supported by the current records.

Visit Guides

Rainy days Aquariums for Rainy Days Browse operating aquariums that are easier to include in a rainy-day plan. 271 items Later hours Zoos and Aquariums Open Later Browse facilities whose published hours mention evening access or special night openings. 34 items Free admission Free Admission and Free Entry for Children Browse facilities whose published admission details mention free entry or free entry for children. 13 free-admission facilities · 60 with free entry for children Rare animals Animals Found at Very Few Facilities in Japan Meet species kept at only one or a small number of facilities in Japan, with links to supporting sources. 8 species Identification How to Tell Penguins Apart There are 18 penguin species in the world, and more than 11 can be seen in Japan — one of the best countries for meeting penguins. This guide covers all 18, including the 7 not kept in Japan, and adds side-by-side tips for the trickiest look-alikes such as King vs Emperor and the four banded penguins. 18 species compared Identification How to Tell Dolphins, Porpoises, and Belugas Apart There is no strict biological line between dolphins and whales: every animal here is a toothed whale. In Japanese, the familiar names tend to follow size, with around four metres often used as a rough convention. That is why the orca, the largest dolphin, and the large dolphin-family pilot whales are often called whales. Use size, markings, dorsal fins, beaks, and foreheads to enjoy both the animals and the naming puzzle. 9 species compared Identification Sea Lions, Seals, Fur Seals, and Walruses "Is that a sea lion or a seal?" may be the question asked most often at aquariums. Pinnipeds — marine mammals with flipper-like limbs — fall into three families you can separate by their ears and the way they use their hind flippers. 5 species compared Identification How to Tell Sea Turtles Apart Two sea turtles nest on Japan's beaches and greet visitors at its aquariums. Tell the green turtle and the loggerhead apart by head size, the scales between the eyes, and carapace colour — the names refer to body colour, not the shell. 2 species compared Identification Sea Otters vs. River Otters Both belong to the weasel family and both delight aquarium visitors, but the sea otter and the small-clawed otter are easy to tell apart once you notice where and how they live. 2 species compared