Shikoku Aquarium
An aquarium at the water's edge, where dolphins swim with the Seto Inland Sea behind.
piggybackjapan.com
Shikoku Aquarium
SaveAn aquarium at the water's edge, where dolphins swim with the Seto Inland Sea behind.
A one- and a four-year-old were glued to the dolphins at play and the tank peering into the 19 km/h Naruto current.
MoreWhat kind of place
Shikoku Aquarium sits on the waterfront at Utazu in Kagawa, and its whole subject is the water of Shikoku. The building is laid out in five areas.
Three of them follow the water itself: the Seto Inland Sea, the largest inland sea in Japan; the Pacific, where the Kuroshio current runs; and the clear rivers and man-made lakes inland.
The other two are an evening-view area, where dolphins swim with the real Seto Inland Sea behind them, and a water play zone with the penguins and sea lions.
One tank re-creates the Naruto Strait, whose current can reach 19 km/h, and you watch it as if you were standing inside the sea.
The aquarium's stated motto is exhibits built for the animals, so they stay relaxed and behave naturally.
Sources and evidence (21)
- Three restrooms in the building have low urinals sized for little boys.source
- The aquarium does not rent strollers.source
- Takeout bought here is eaten at the Sunset Deck, the Setouchi Deck, the spot beside Olive, or the seaside lawn (Shiokaze no Niwa), not inside the building.source
- Inside there is a food court called Setouchi Kitchen, along with vending machines.source
- The second-floor restaurant looks out over the Seto Inland Sea and serves Sanuki udon, olive beef dishes, and a kids' curry on a dolphin plate for 1,380 yen that comes with a sea-creature sticker.source
- The museum shop is near the exit and can also be entered from the promenade outside, while the food court is reachable only from inside.source
- Payment can be made by credit card or electronic money, including Visa, Mastercard, JCB, American Express, Diners Club, Discover, transit IC cards, WAON, iD, nanaco, Edy, and UnionPay.source
- You can re-enter: take the re-entry stamp before you leave, and show it to the staff at the entrance gate when you come back.source
- Free Wi-Fi is available inside.source
- Paid coin lockers are available: 20 small ones at 400 yen, 6 medium at 500 yen, and 8 large at 700 yen.source
- There is a first-aid room, and anyone who feels unwell can tell the information desk or a nearby staff member.source
- The whole property is non-smoking.source
- Some of the exhibits are outdoors, so bring an umbrella on a rainy day, as none are lent out.source
- The address is 4 Hama Ichibancho, Utazu, Ayauta District, Kagawa, and the phone number is 0877-49-4590.source
- The aquarium lot holds 223 cars, the official site posts how many spaces are open, and an overflow lot is used when it fills.source
- The exhibits follow the theme of Shikoku's waters, tracing the Seto Inland Sea, the largest inland sea in Japan, the Pacific with its Kuroshio current, and the man-made lakes and clear rivers such as the Shimanto.source
- The building is divided into the Seto Inland Sea area, the Pacific area, the clear stream and lakeside area, the evening view, and the water play zone.source
- The evening view is where you watch dolphins swim with the Seto Inland Sea as the backdrop.source
- In the big tank, Watatsumi no Kei, open-water fish circle past, and at Kannazuki no Kei you look up at hammerhead sharks from below.source
- Uzushio no Kei shows the rushing water of the Naruto Strait, which can reach 19 km/h, as if you were watching it from inside the sea.source
- Its stated motto is exhibits for the animals, meaning spaces and care that let them relax and be themselves.source
With kidsThe part that matters
If your kids want to do more than look at tanks, the water play zone here runs a program where visitors feed the penguins and sea lions.
The aquarium does not rent strollers, so bring your own if you need one, and expect to carry your child at the tanks, since the animals are hard to see from stroller height.
You cannot bring your own food in, so plan on the food court or the second-floor restaurant looking out over the Seto Inland Sea.
Walking the exhibits takes about an hour and a half, and a re-entry stamp lets you step out for a break and come back.
Sources and evidence (7)
- The water play zone has penguins and sea lions, plus a program where visitors can feed the animals.source
- An animated mascot named Shukokun appears around the aquarium, talking to visitors and playing riddles or rock-paper-scissors with them.source
- A family with a one- and four-year-old: dolphin playtime, then otter feeding, then the whirlpool tank held them best.source
- The splash zone is the front six rows center, four at the sides. The front fills first; sit back with no spare clothes.source
- Nowhere inside to open a packed lunch. Kitchen Setouchi on 2F has udon and a kids' plate; a re-entry stamp lets you out.source
- Landed at Takamatsu 8:30; a bus after 9 took an hour to Utazu. A bus-plus-ticket set exists. As crowded as Tokyo.source
- Summer hours run late; after 18:00 the tank lighting turns blue and the dolphins jump against the sea itself.source
By age0-1 / 2-3 / 4-6
- Ages 0-1What held a one-year-old was the dolphins at play and Uzushio-no-Kei, the tank you peer into as if standing inside the Naruto Strait's current, which runs at up to 19 km/h. Kannazuki-no-Kei is built to be looked at from below, at hammerhead sharks overhead - which is exactly the angle a baby in your arms is already facing.Under-threes enter free. Strollers are allowed, but the aquarium itself suggests carrying your child instead - from a stroller's low line of sight the animals can be hard to see, and in crowds there is bumping to watch for. No strollers are lent, so bring your own if you want one. The single nursing room is on the first floor beside the big tank, with its own hot-water dispenser for formula; the sink there is open to fathers too. Three diaper changing tables are inside that same room, also usable by men. The main route through the building is linked by ramps and lifts and can be done seated in a wheelchair.
- Ages 2-3Shukokun, the aquarium's mascot, shows up in animation to talk to visitors and play riddles and rock-paper-scissors with them. In the Suiyu Zone there are penguins and sea lions, with a program where you feed the animals yourself. There is no fixed viewing route, so you can go back to a favourite tank as many times as the child wants.Admission is 700 yen from age three; under-threes are free. There are small urinals sized for little boys in three places, and four multipurpose restrooms. Visitors are asked not to walk the exhibits carrying kick scooters, balance bikes, tricycles or suitcases, so leave those in the car or a coin locker (400 yen small, 500 medium, 700 large). There is no space for eating a packed lunch inside, and bringing food and drink in is discouraged. Part of the exhibit is outdoors, so bring an umbrella on a wet day - none are lent. Re-entry is possible: take the re-entry stamp near the exit before you leave and show it to the gate staff on your way back.
- Ages 4-6What held a four-year-old was the dolphins at play and Uzushio-no-Kei, which shows the Naruto Strait's current - up to 19 km/h - as if you were standing in the sea watching it. With no fixed route, a child can start at whichever tank they want. The theme is the waters of Shikoku, so many of the fish are ones that turn up at dinner, and the walk becomes a hunt for the ones they have eaten.Seeing the exhibits alone takes about an hour and a half. Takeaway bought inside is eaten at the Sunset Deck, the Setouchi Deck, beside Olive, or Shiokaze-no-Niwa, the lawn on the sea side; carrying it into the buildings is discouraged. The second-floor restaurant looks out over the Seto Inland Sea and serves a kids' curry on a dolphin plate for 1,380 yen, with a sea-creature sticker. Timed web tickets can be bought in advance through Klook and Rakuten Travel Experiences, sold for weekends and holidays and sometimes weekdays in busy periods. Convenience stores do not sell them.
By weatherRain, heat, cold
- Rainy daySome of the displays are outdoors, so bring an umbrella on a rainy day - the aquarium does not lend them. Takeout bought inside is eaten on the Sunset Deck, the Setouchi Deck, beside Olive, or on the seaside lawn Shiokaze no Niwa, and the aquarium asks you not to carry it into the building.
- Hot dayNot checked yet
- Cold dayNot checked yet
Time needed1.5 h
How was it with your kids?
Not greatGreat
- ElevatorElevator：with conditionsconditions
- Stroller OKStroller friendly：with conditionsconditions
- RentalStroller rental：not checked
- NursingNursing space：with conditionsconditions
- ChangingDiaper changing table：with conditionsconditions
- Family WCFamily restroom：with conditionsconditions
- Own foodOutside food allowed：none
- EnglishEnglish support：with conditionsconditions
* Other not checked (2)
Kids' toilet seat & step stool, 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
A family with a one- and four-year-old: dolphin playtime, then otter feeding, then the whirlpool tank held them best.
Is Shikoku Aquarium a letdown? The dolphin show, souvenirs and what to see, with photos
Japanese · opens translatedGuide
The splash zone is the front six rows center, four at the sides. The front fills first; sit back with no spare clothes.
Will you get wet at the Shikoku Aquarium dolphin show? Which seats fill first
Japanese · opens translatedFirst-hand
Nowhere inside to open a packed lunch. Kitchen Setouchi on 2F has udon and a kids' plate; a re-entry stamp lets you out.
Can you bring your own food into Shikoku Aquarium? Where to eat inside, from a visit
Japanese · opens translatedFirst-hand
Landed at Takamatsu 8:30; a bus after 9 took an hour to Utazu. A bus-plus-ticket set exists. As crowded as Tokyo.
A weekend at Shikoku Aquarium and Marugame with a seven- and nine-year-old
Japanese · opens translatedGuide
Summer hours run late; after 18:00 the tank lighting turns blue and the dolphins jump against the sea itself.
Dolphins against a Seto Inland Sea sunset: summer at the five-year-old Shikoku Aquarium
Shikoku Aquarium · Links & reads ▾
Where it is
4 Hamaichiban-cho, Utazu, Ayauta District, Kagawa 769-0201source2
Before you go
- Wheelchairs are lent at the information desk, in limited numbers and with no advance reservation.source
- Handle-steered electric scooters and electric carts cannot be brought inside.source
- You may bring a stroller in, but the aquarium recommends carrying your child, since the animals can be hard to see from stroller height and strollers bump into people when it is crowded.source
- Timed web tickets can be bought in advance through Klook and Rakuten Travel Experiences, sold for weekends and holidays and sometimes for weekdays in busy periods.source
- There is no set viewing order, though staff may direct people when it gets crowded.source
More notes (4)
- Multi-seat walking carts are not allowed, except for childcare facilities that need one for work and apply with a group booking under set conditions.source
- Tickets are not sold at convenience stores, and same-day tickets are bought at the counter on the first floor.source
- Pets cannot come in, though service dogs such as guide dogs may.source
- Visitors are asked not to walk around holding kick scooters, balance bikes, tricycles, suitcases, or other large or long items.source
Basics
- Fee：Adults (high school age / 16 and over) ¥2,600; elementary and junior-high students ¥1,400; children aged 3 and over ¥700; under-3s free. With a disability certificate or Mirairo ID, the holder and one companion pay ¥1,300 / ¥700 / ¥350. Groups of 20 or more pay ¥2,340 / ¥1,260 / ¥630. Annual passports (online only) are ¥11,000 single, ¥22,000 pairsource
- Hours：Open all year, with a maintenance closure in winter (2-4 February 2027 is announced). Last admission is 30 minutes before closing, and closing time changes by season — on 14 August 2026 the site showed 9:00-21:00. Opening hours can change without notice for weather, disasters or the animals' health, so check the official schedule. Re-entry is possible with the stamp taken at the exitsource
- Time to allow：1.5 h
- Booking：Same-day tickets are sold at the ticket counter on the 1st floor; last admission is 30 minutes before closing. Timed web tickets are sold in advance through Klook and Rakuten Travel Experiences, on weekends and holidays only (and on weekdays in busy periods). Convenience stores do not sell tickets. Annual passports are sold online only. Cards and e-money are acceptedsourceOfficial booking site ↗
Basics in detail (13)
- All of the multipurpose restrooms are equipped for ostomy users, and one of them has a fold-down adult changing bed.source
- The main routes through the aquarium can be done in a wheelchair, using ramps and elevators.source
- Wheelchair-accessible restrooms are on both the first and second floors, four in all.source
- It is about a 12-minute walk from JR Utazu Station.source
- There is a drop-off area in front of the aquarium so visitors with disabilities can get in and out of a car, and large buses can use it too.source
- Admission is 2,600 yen for adults (high school age and 16 and over), 1,400 yen for elementary and junior high students, 700 yen for children 3 and over, and free under 3.source
- With a disability certificate or a Mirairo ID, the holder and one companion pay 1,300 yen for adults, 700 yen for elementary and junior high students, and 350 yen for younger children.source
- Annual passes are sold online only, at 11,000 yen for one person and 22,000 yen for a pair, and are not available at the gate.source
- Groups of 20 or more pay group rates of 2,340 yen for adults, 1,260 yen for elementary and junior high students, and 630 yen for younger children.source
- As of August 14, 2026, the official site listed that day's hours as 9:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m., with last entry 30 minutes before closing.source
- It is open all year apart from a maintenance closure in winter, and hours can change without notice for weather, disasters, or the animals' health.source
- It will be closed for maintenance from February 2 to 4, 2027.source
- Walking through the exhibits takes about an hour and a half.source
Once you've decided
evidence & sources (8)
- Official: Stroller friendly, Diaper changing table, Family restroom
- Official: Nursing space, Elevator
- Official: main site
The theme is the waters of Shikoku. Galleries run from the Seto Inland Sea to the Pacific and its Kuroshio current, then to a reservoir and the clear Shimanto river. The big Watatsumi tank holds migratory fish; in Kannazuki, hammerheads pass directly above you. Many of the fish here are ones families eat at home. The Suiyu zone has penguins and sea lions, with feeding sessions. In Yugure, dolphins swim with the Seto Inland Sea itself as the backdrop.
| Stroller friendly | Yes | Strollers can be brought in, but the aquarium recommends carrying your child instead — it says animals can be hard to see from a stroller's low line of sight, and asks you to watch for contact with other visitors when busy. There is no stroller rental, and walking carts and electric carts are not allowed in | Web-checked | checked Aug ’26 | shikoku-aquarium.jp |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Diaper changing table | Yes | Three changing tables in the nursing room beside the main tank on the 1st floor, which men may also use. The multi-purpose toilets have one each. (The two official pages differ on the count: the barrier-free page says three tables in each of three toilets, the Q&A says one in each of four multi-purpose toilets.) | Web-checked | checked Aug ’26 | shikoku-aquarium.jp |
| Nursing space | Yes (1) | One nursing room, on the 1st floor beside the main tank, with a hot-water sink for making up formula (fathers may use the sink too) and a spacious changing area next to it | Web-checked | checked Aug ’26 | shikoku-aquarium.jp |
| Family restroom | Yes | Four multi-purpose toilets, all fitted for ostomates, one of them with a folding adult changing bed. Wheelchair-accessible toilets are on both the 1st and 2nd floors | Web-checked | checked Aug ’26 | shikoku-aquarium.jp |
| Elevator | Yes | The main routes can be covered in a wheelchair, ramps and elevators included. Wheelchairs are lent at the information desk while stocks last (no advance booking); handle-type electric wheelchairs are not admitted | Web-checked | checked Aug ’26 | shikoku-aquarium.jp |
| Outside food allowed | No | There is no space inside for eating food you bring, so bringing food and drink in is discouraged. Inside there is the Setouchi Kitchen food court, cafes and vending machines; takeout bought here is eaten on the Sunset Deck, Setouchi Deck, beside Olive or on the lawn of the Shiokaze garden | Web-checked | checked Aug ’26 | shikoku-aquarium.jp |
| English support | English menu & signs | Signs inside are in English (five languages in places), and the official site has English, Korean and Chinese (simplified and traditional) versions. Free Wi-Fi covers the building | Web-checked | checked Aug ’26 | shikoku-aquarium.jp |
| Indoor / outdoor | Indoor & outdoor | Mostly indoors over two floors, but some exhibits are outside — the aquarium tells visitors to bring an umbrella on rainy days because of them (no umbrella rental). The decks where takeout food is eaten are outdoors too | Web-checked | checked Aug ’26 | shikoku-aquarium.jp |
| Kids' toilet seat & step stool | Not checked yet | ||||
| Diaper disposal bin | Not checked yet |