Smiling Dolphins Spotted at Japanese Aquarium – a Huge Draw!

Text by Li Xinyi, MOOK Scenic Spots & Lifestyle

Located in Mie Prefecture in central Japan, Toba Aquarium ranks among the top aquariums in the country in terms of species diversity, home to one thousand animal species, with plans to increase that number to twelve hundred. To see them all in one visit, you’ll find the dugong (a legendary mermaid-like creature), as well as the African manatee—found only in freshwater—exclusively at Toba Aquarium.

Dolphins are one of the highlights of the aquarium. There are dolphins that resemble pandas, and there are also finless porpoises that smile right at you. The area in front of the finless porpoises is always crowded because these dolphins love to “lock eyes” with visitors. Separated by a pane of glass, the dolphins’ mouths curl upwards as if smiling, facing visitors directly. Don’t believe they’re looking at you? Next time a finless porpoise “stares” at you, try moving your head from side to side—you’ll be surprised to see its head follow along too. It’s hard to tell whether it’s the human observing the dolphin, or the dolphin watching the human on the other side of the glass.

Each zone in the aquarium has its own performance schedule, mostly featuring open-format shows that boost interaction with the public. One of the most popular acts is the walrus show. The walruses, already familiar with the staff, will swim closer and stop beside them when they approach. “The walruses recognize people now,” said a staff member. The walrus show lasts about 15 minutes, during which the animal comes out to interact with guests, performing sit-ups and taking photos. Thanks to their inherently adorable movements, even when not perfectly executed, their antics still delight the audience.

Beyond the main shows, the training sessions where keepers interact with animals are also open to visitors. As a result, guests usually get to enjoy several performances during their visit. Aside from checking the scheduled times posted for each zone, just look for crowds gathering—there’s bound to be “something good” happening. The sea otter sign lying on a mailbox at the aquarium entrance is also an ultra-cute crowd favorite. The sea otter’s signature act is “eating while lying down”: staff members feed it fish, and the otter casually floats on its back, munching away before asking for more. The viewing area often gets so crowded that the glass is completely surrounded. The adult ticket price at Toba Aquarium is 2,400 yen (approximately 900 New Taiwan Dollars), which isn’t cheap, but the successful emphasis on interaction between animals and visitors keeps this aquarium immensely popular!