Japan Guide
Kansai
Ōsaka Aquarium
Inside an exotic butterfly-shaped building, decorated with a giant fish-tank mosaic, is the fabulous Ōsaka Aquarium. The aquarium is constructed so that you wind down between fourteen elongated tanks, each representing a different aquatic environment, from Antarctica to the Aleutian Islands. The beauty of the design means you can, for example, watch seals basking on the rocks at the top of the tank and see them swimming, torpedo-like, through the lower depths later. The huge central tank represents the Pacific Ocean and is home to a couple of whale sharks and several manta rays, among many other fish. The giant spider crabs, looking like alien invaders from War of the Worlds, provide a fitting climax to far and away Japan's best aquarium.Address: Ōsaka Bay Opening time: Daily 10am–7pmPrice: ¥2000 
06/6576-5501 
www.kaiyukan.com/eng/index.htm