Visit Japan: Osaka Aquarium Kaiyukan

On our fourth day in Osaka, we had our sights set on the Osaka Aquarium Kaiyukan—but as always, breakfast came first.

It’s the perfect way to start a morning in Osaka. Fresh seafood, sizzling wagyu, sweet fruit, quick bites… it’s impossible to get tired of the food here. Even on a return visit, we found new things to try and old favorites we couldn’t resist.

After breakfast, we hopped on the train and made our way to the Osaka Aquarium Kaiyukan.

Tip—buy your tickets online ahead of time. You’ll need to select a designated entry time, but it’s 100% worth it. When we arrived, there was a long line for same-day tickets, and we were able to skip it entirely and walk right in.

Getting there was easy—the train station is about a 5-minute walk from the aquarium, making it a super convenient stop.

The aquarium itself? Incredible!

It’s one of the largest aquariums in the world. The layout takes you through different regions of the Pacific Rim, with 27 tanks in 16 main exhibits along the way.

The highlight, of course, were the two whale sharks. Seeing one up close in such a huge tank is pretty surreal—it just glides through the water. But we were amazed by all of the different sea creatures to see, from vibrant tropical fish to mesmerizing jellyfish.

It’s one of those places that both kids and adults can fully enjoy. You can move through it quickly, or take your time —we definitely did a bit of both.

If you're visiting Osaka, you'll definitely want to add this place to your itinerary!