Kagoshima City Aquarium
Last updated: September 13, 2026
On the waterfront where the Sakurajima ferries dock, Io World — the Kagoshima City Aquarium — stages the sea that runs past the volcano: seven floors built around the Kuroshio Tank, where a whale shark cruises over shoals of bonito riding the same great current that sweeps Kagoshima's coast. One of Kyushu's largest aquariums, it layers coral gardens, local rarities and dolphin shows above the big tank — and dolphins also appear in the open waterway canal outside, free for anyone strolling the pier. Sakurajima steams across the bay the whole time.
Itinerary
- Stop at: Kagoshima City Aquarium (Io World)
Frequently Asked Questions
The aquarium's centrepiece: a vast tank recreating the Kuroshio, the warm current that races past Kagoshima — with a young whale shark as its headline resident above schooling bonito and rays. The aquarium raises its whale sharks by the local "Kagoshima method", returning each to the ocean before it outgrows the tank.
Yes — performances run in the indoor pool several times a day, and the aquarium's open waterway canal along the pier lets you watch dolphins training and playing outdoors without a ticket. Check the day's times at the entrance and build your route around one.
The aquarium shares the waterfront with the Sakurajima Ferry Terminal — about a 10-minute walk from the Suizokukan-guchi tram stop, or 15 from Kagoshima Station. It pairs naturally with a ferry hop across the bay to the volcano itself.
Around two hours covers the seven floors and a show; add the outdoor canal and a Sakurajima ferry round trip and the port fills a comfortable half day. Rainy days in Kagoshima have no better refuge.