Kobe Suma Sea World
An aquarium in three buildings, with a stadium each for orcas and dolphins.
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Kobe Suma Sea World
SaveAn aquarium in three buildings, with a stadium each for orcas and dolphins.
Aqua Live has a touch pool with rays and sharks on the third floor and penguins on the fourth.
MoreWhat kind of place
Kobe Suma Sea World is an aquarium spread across three buildings: Orca Stadium for the orcas, Dolphin Stadium for the dolphins, and Aqua Live, whose fish exhibits follow the life cycle of water.
Inside Aqua Live, the touch pool for rays and sharks is on the third floor and the sea lions, seals, and penguins are on the fourth, and the third floor also carries the bridge across to Dolphin Stadium.
Just past the entrance gate is an open square, Sea World Plaza, with an orca monument. The Kobe Suma Sea World Hotel stands just east of the aquarium, and a stay there comes with perks such as free aquarium admission.
Sources and evidence (20)
- There are three nursing rooms in all, one on the first floor of Orca Stadium, one on the first floor of Dolphin Stadium, and one on the first floor of Aqua Live.source
- Each building has one nursing room, and changing tables are set up in the nursing rooms and in some restrooms.source
- Aqua Live has a restroom just for children on the third floor; the nursing room in that building is on the first floor.source
- First-aid rooms are in three places: Orca Stadium, Dolphin Stadium, and Aqua Live.source
- Wi-Fi is available inside the buildings.source
- Paid coin lockers stand beside the main entrance, and they are for same-day use only.source
- The places to eat inside are the restaurant Blue Ocean on the first floor of Orca Stadium, the takeout counter Port Diner on the second floor of Orca Stadium, and the shop and food court Wharf on the first floor of Dolphin Stadium.source
- Pets cannot come in and there is nowhere to leave them, but guide dogs, hearing dogs, and service dogs may enter with you.source
- There is one smoking area, at Sea World Plaza.source
- You can re-enter the same day: before you go out, tell a staff member near the exit and have your hand stamped.source
- The address is 1-3-5 Wakamiya-cho, Suma-ku, Kobe, Hyogo 654-0049, and the phone number is 078-731-7301, answered during business hours from 10:00 to 18:00.source
- The site is divided into three buildings: Orca Stadium for the orcas, Dolphin Stadium for the dolphins, and Aqua Live for the fish, plus the open-air Sea World Plaza and Suma Collection.source
- Aqua Live is an exhibit area whose displays follow the life cycle of water, and its third floor has a touch pool where you can touch sea creatures such as rays and sharks.source
- The fourth floor of Aqua Live has sea lions, seals, and penguins.source
- Sea World Plaza, the open square just inside the entrance gate, has an orca monument.source
- You can cross from Dolphin Stadium to Aqua Live over the third-floor bridge, as the buildings connect at that level.source
- There are paid hands-on programs, called Discovery Guidance: the Aqua Live backyard tour, sea turtle communication, and dolphin communication, among others. Everyone who goes in needs a ticket of their own, including a parent who is only coming along to watch.source
- Children through third grade must have a guardian with them, for safety.source
- The Kobe Suma Sea World Hotel stands on the east side of the aquarium, and a stay there comes with perks such as free aquarium admission.source
- Nearby are Suma Seaside Park with its lawns and playground equipment, Suma Rikyu Park with its Western-style gardens, and Sumaura Sanjo Yuen, a hilltop park with a botanical garden and rides.source
With kidsThe part that matters
This aquarium is three separate buildings rather than one big hall: Orca Stadium for the orcas, Dolphin Stadium for the dolphins, and Aqua Live for the fish, and a third-floor bridge runs from Dolphin Stadium to Aqua Live so you can cross between them without going back outside.
On the third floor of Aqua Live, kids can put a hand in the touch pool and feel a ray or a shark.
Every building has a nursing room on the first floor with a changing table, and some restrooms have one too, so a feed or a change never means walking to another building.
Tickets are timed and sold online, and on busy days there are none left for the door, so book the day and time you want before you travel rather than turning up and hoping.
The aquarium asks you not to bring food or drink into the buildings, so eat what you brought outside at Sea World Plaza or under the partly roofed third-floor stands, and if you head out of the park entirely, have a staff member near the exit stamp your hand so you can come back the same day.
Sources and evidence (5)
- Allow an hour per show, seated 30-60 min early. Front rows get soaked; sit higher. Parking has no day-cap on weekends.source
- With 8-month twins: the nursing room has a heavy inward door, fits two strollers, no shelf, but water for formula.source
- Buffet beside the orca pool: ¥5,000 an adult, 80-minute sitting. Ocean seats need booking; beach seats are first-come.source
- Orca and dolphin shows run in the rain; you cross open ground between buildings. Rows 1-7 soak, row 11 back stays dry.source
- JR Sannomiya to Suma Kaihinkoen: 15-18 min, ¥200, then a flat 10-15 min walk seaward. Bus 81 stops at the entrance.source
By age0-1 / 2-3 / 4-6
- Ages 0-1No ticket is needed for children of three and under, so this age gets in free. The orcas and the dolphins each have their own building — Orca Stadium and Dolphin Stadium — and a baby in your arms can watch something that large move through water from a seat in the stands.There are three nursing rooms, one on the ground floor of each of the three buildings. Diaper changing tables are in the nursing rooms and in some toilets. Strollers are lent for 300 yen a day from two information desks, on the ground floors of Orca Stadium and Aqua Live; numbers are limited and there are no reservations. Each building has a stroller parking area, and strollers are to be folded when left. There are ramps and elevators provided for wheelchair users. At the restaurant Blue Ocean the rule is to leave the stroller by the register, though if your child is asleep you may take it to the table — the gaps between tables are narrow. Bringing food and drink into the buildings is discouraged; eating is done at Sea World Plaza and the third-floor stands of Orca and Dolphin Stadiums, all outdoors, with partial roofing on the stands. Each building has a first-aid room. Same-day re-entry is possible: tell a cast member near the exit and they stamp the back of your hand.
- Ages 2-3The third floor of Aqua Live is a touch pool, where rays and sharks can be touched by hand. Sea lions, seals and penguins are on the fourth floor of the same building, so the touching leads straight on upstairs. And just inside the entrance gate, Sea World Plaza has an orca monument.No ticket for three and under; from four it is the child rate, 1,700 to 1,800 yen. Prices move through four tiers depending on the date — click the day on the official calendar to see that day's price. Buying a timed ticket online in advance is recommended, and when it is busy same-day tickets may not be sold at all. A timed ticket lets you in from the printed time onward, not before. Tricycles, kick scooters and large items such as carry cases cannot be brought in, so use the coin lockers beside the main entrance, same-day only. There is a children's toilet on the third floor of Aqua Live. The nearest station is Suma Kaihin Koen on the JR Kobe Line, about five minutes' walk.
- Ages 4-6There are paid hands-on programmes called Discovery Guidance to choose from — an Aqua Live backyard tour, sea turtle communication, dolphin communication and others. On the third floor of Aqua Live a child touches rays and sharks themselves, and the fourth floor has sea lions, seals and penguins. The buildings connect by a third-floor bridge, so you cross from Dolphin Stadium into Aqua Live.A one-day ticket for a child of four to six is 1,700 to 1,800 yen, moving through four tiers by date. For Discovery Guidance, an accompanying adult also needs their own participation ticket — without one you cannot enter the area — so buy for everyone who is going in. Children in the third year of elementary school and under must be accompanied by a guardian, for safety. Tickets cannot be changed for another date or category; cancellation is free until the day before and costs 100% on the day. Opening hours vary by date, and last entry is one hour before closing. Bringing food and drink into the buildings is discouraged; eating is done at Sea World Plaza and the third-floor stands of Orca and Dolphin Stadiums, both outdoors.
By weatherRain, heat, cold
- Rainy dayThe place is three buildings — Orca Stadium for the killer whales, Dolphin Stadium for the dolphins, and Aqua Live for the fish — and you cross from Dolphin Stadium to Aqua Live by the third-floor bridge. The places where eating is allowed, Sea World Plaza and the third-floor stands of each stadium, are all outdoors, and the stands are only partly roofed.
- Hot dayNot checked yet
- Cold dayNot checked yet
How was it with your kids?
Not greatGreat
- ElevatorElevator：with conditionsconditions
- Stroller OKStroller friendly：with conditionsconditions
- RentalStroller rental：yes
- NursingNursing space：with conditionsconditions
- ChangingDiaper changing table：with conditionsconditions
- Family WCFamily restroom：with conditionsconditions
- Kids' toiletKids' toilet seat & step stool：with conditionsconditions
- Own foodOutside food allowed：none
- EnglishEnglish support：not checked
* Other not checked (1)
Diaper disposal bin
Green = we confirmed it. Gray = not checked yet. Gray with a line through = the place does not have it.
Worth a look before you go
Japanese · opens translatedFirst-hand
Allow an hour per show, seated 30-60 min early. Front rows get soaked; sit higher. Parking has no day-cap on weekends.
How long does Suma Sea World take? Getting round with kids, and the parking trap
Japanese · opens translatedFirst-hand
With 8-month twins: the nursing room has a heavy inward door, fits two strollers, no shelf, but water for formula.
Visiting Kobe Suma Sea World with a baby: the nursing rooms and child facilities in detail
Japanese · opens translatedFirst-hand
Buffet beside the orca pool: ¥5,000 an adult, 80-minute sitting. Ocean seats need booking; beach seats are first-come.
Lunch at the Suma Sea World buffet
Japanese · opens translatedFirst-hand
Orca and dolphin shows run in the rain; you cross open ground between buildings. Rows 1-7 soak, row 11 back stays dry.
A rainy day at Suma Sea World with a 5- and 9-year-old: the orca show soaks you
Japanese · opens translatedGuide
JR Sannomiya to Suma Kaihinkoen: 15-18 min, ¥200, then a flat 10-15 min walk seaward. Bus 81 stops at the entrance.
Getting to Suma Sea World: routes and times from Sannomiya and Shin-Kobe
Kobe Suma Sea World · Links & reads ▾
Where it is
1-3-5 Wakamiyacho, Suma-ku, Kobe-shi, Hyogo 654-0049source
Before you go
- The aquarium rents strollers and lends wheelchairs, but there are only a few of each and neither can be reserved.source
- Tricycles, kick scooters, hand carts, and bulky baggage such as wheeled suitcases cannot be brought in, and neither can camera supports: monopods, tripods, and selfie sticks. Strollers are fine.source
- The price changes with the date of your visit, and clicking a day on the official calendar shows that day's price; tickets go on sale on the first of each month for the two months ahead.source
- Crowds are expected for the time being, so timed-entry tickets are sold online and it is best to buy ahead. Same-day tickets are not guaranteed: the official home page and social media post whether any are on sale that day, and on busy days there are none.source
- A timed ticket lets you enter at or after the time printed on it but not before, and last entry is one hour before closing.source
More notes (1)
- A ticket you have bought cannot be switched to another date or another ticket type; canceling is free up to the day before your visit, but on the day itself the cancellation fee is 100 percent.source
Basics
- Fee：Admission changes with the date, in four price bands. 1DAY tickets: adults (high school and up) ¥2,900-3,700, children (elementary and junior high) ¥1,700-1,800, ages 4-6 ¥1,700-1,800, seniors 65+ ¥2,300-3,100. A ticket is needed from age 4, so children of 3 and under are free. With a disability certificate: adults ¥1,200, children and ages 4-6 ¥650 (counter sales only, no online sale); one companion per certificate holder at ¥2,480 adult / ¥1,440 childsource
- Hours：Opening hours change from day to day — the official top page shows the hours for that day (on 14 August 2026 it showed 8:00-20:00). Last admission is one hour before closing. Some days are closed days, marked on the official admission calendar. Timed tickets let you enter at or after the time on the ticket, not beforesource
- Booking：Date-and-time online tickets are sold in advance and buying ahead is recommended; whether same-day tickets go on sale is announced on the official top page and official social media, and on busy days they may not be sold at all. Tickets go on sale on the 1st of each month for the two months ahead. Dates and ticket types cannot be changed after purchase; canceling is free until the day before, 100% on the daysourceOfficial booking site ↗
Basics in detail (8)
- 1-Day ticket prices move through four tiers depending on the date you visit, so each age band shows a range: adults, meaning high school age and up, 2,900 to 3,700 yen; elementary and junior high students 1,700 to 1,800 yen; ages 4 to 6 1,700 to 1,800 yen; and seniors 65 and over 2,300 to 3,100 yen. Children 3 and under get in free.source
- Tickets are needed from age 4, and children 3 and under get in without one.source
- Holders of a Japanese disability certificate pay 1,200 yen for adults, meaning high school age and up, 650 yen for elementary and junior high students, and 650 yen for ages 4 to 6.source
- One companion per certificate holder can buy a companion ticket, 2,480 yen for an adult and 1,440 yen for an elementary or junior high student or a 4-to-6-year-old, sold only at the ticket window and not online.source
- The nearest stations are Suma Kaihin Koen on the JR Kobe Line, about a 5-minute walk, and Tsukimiyama on the Sanyo Electric Railway, about 10 minutes on foot.source
- Parking is the Suma Seaside Park lot on the east side of the Kobe Suma Sea World Hotel. It is paid parking, open to motorcycles too, with no discount.source
Once you've decided
evidence & sources (10)
- Official: Stroller friendly, Stroller rental, Nursing space
- Official: Diaper changing table, Family restroom, Elevator
- Official: Kids' toilet seat & step stool
- Official: main site
Three buildings stand side by side: Orca Stadium, Dolphin Stadium and Aqua Live, whose theme is the life of water. Aqua Live's third floor has a touch pool with rays and sharks, and its fourth floor keeps sea lions, seals and penguins. A third-floor bridge links the buildings. An orca monument stands in the plaza just inside the gate. Optional programs take visitors backstage and out to meet the sea turtles and dolphins.
| Stroller friendly | Yes | Strollers rent for ¥300 a day at the Orca Stadium 1F and Aqua Live 1F information desks (numbers are limited, no reservations). Each building has a stroller park where you fold it up and leave it; bags are not looked after, so use the coin lockers. Tricycles and kick scooters cannot be brought in. In the Blue Ocean restaurant you normally leave the stroller by the register, though you may take it to the table if your child is asleep | Web-checked | checked Aug ’26 | kobesuma-seaworld.jp |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stroller rental | Yes | Web-checked | checked Aug ’26 | kobesuma-seaworld.jp | |
| Nursing space | Yes (3) | Three nursing rooms, one in each building: Orca Stadium 1F, Dolphin Stadium 1F and Aqua Live 1F. Hot water for formula: not stated | Web-checked | checked Aug ’26 | kobesuma-seaworld.jp |
| Diaper changing table | Yes | Changing tables are in the nursing rooms and in some of the toilets | Web-checked | checked Aug ’26 | kobesuma-seaworld.jp |
| Diaper disposal bin | Not checked yet | ||||
| Family restroom | Yes | Every building has a wheelchair-accessible toilet, some with ostomate facilities | Web-checked | checked Aug ’26 | kobesuma-seaworld.jp |
| Kids' toilet seat & step stool | Yes | One on the 3rd floor of Aqua Live | Web-checked | checked Aug ’26 | kobesuma-seaworld.jp |
| Elevator | Yes | Ramps and elevators are provided, and each stadium has a viewing space reserved for wheelchair users (a chair is lent to one companion inside that space) | Web-checked | checked Aug ’26 | kobesuma-seaworld.jp |
| English support | Not checked yet | ||||
| Outside food allowed | No | Bringing food and drink inside is asked against (school groups and children's associations are the exception). Eating is allowed at three places — Sea World Plaza and the 3F stands of Orca Stadium and Dolphin Stadium — all of which are outdoors, with some roofing over the 3F stands | Web-checked | checked Aug ’26 | kobesuma-seaworld.jp |
| Indoor / outdoor | Indoor & outdoor | The three exhibition buildings are indoors; Sea World Plaza and the stadium 3F stands are outdoors | Web-checked | checked Aug ’26 | kobesuma-seaworld.jp |
| Stroller access notesExtra info — guide only | 須磨海浜公園駅から徒歩約5分 | 5 minutes' walk from Suma Kaihin Koen station on the JR Kobe Line, or 10 minutes from Tsukimiyama station on the Sanyo Electric Railway. Parking is the paid Suma Kaihin Park parking lot east of the Kobe Suma Sea World Hotel; there is no discount | Web-checked | checked Aug ’26 | kobesuma-seaworld.jp |