Make Taoyuan more fun: Japan’s “Yokohama Hakkeijima” to open

▲ Yokohama Hakkeijima Sea Paradise lets visitors enjoy beautiful marine life. (Photo / from the official Facebook page of Yokohama Hakkeijima Sea Paradise)

Reported by reporter Tsai Wen-jun / Comprehensive report

Bullish on the Taiwan market, not only have Japanese cuisine and outlet malls set up shop in Taiwan, but now even a Japanese aquarium is making its way here. Yokohama Hakkeijima Sea Paradise, which already operates three aquariums, has announced plans to invest in building an aquarium in Taiwan, with an expected opening in January 2020. The location chosen is Taoyuan.

According to Japanese media reports, based on Yokohama Hakkeijima’s plans, the aquarium will be housed in a building located in front of the Taoyuan HSR Station. The structure will consist of five floors—three above ground and two underground—covering an area of approximately 15,000 square meters (about 4,500 pyeong), making it larger than the Sendai Umi no Mori Aquarium, which the company newly opened in Sendai in July 2015.

▲ Illustration of the planned Taoyuan aquarium. (Photo / screenshot from the Mainichi Shimbun)

Yokohama Hakkeijima stated that the new aquarium is temporarily being called the “Taoyuan Aquarium,” though its official name has yet to be determined. The aquarium is expected to showcase a diverse range of marine life from Taiwan and around the world, and will incorporate the world’s most advanced technology to create a new type of aquarium that combines visual experiences with entertainment. This marks not only the first time a Japanese aquarium is expanding overseas, but Yokohama Hakkeijima also aims to attract 1.6 million visitors in its first year of operation.