How are you doing, Japan? ＜Vol.001＞ Sunshine Aquarium (Ikebukuro, Tokyo)
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In the midst of postponed plans, closed facilities, and worries about COVID-19 all around, the JAPANKURU team wanted to find out just what’s up in Japan, right here, right now! So we asked: How are you doing, Japan? Today, we bring you the latest from Sunshine Aquarium in Ikebukuro, Tokyo.
Sunshine Aquarium is reopening on June 8th, 2020.
The otters, penguins, seals, and all the aquarium's other residents are ready and waiting to welcome you back!
Check the details on the official website.
So, Sunshine Aquarium, how are you doing?
Sunshine Aquarium is a busy facility located right in the middle of things in Ikebukuro, a busy shopping area usually crowded with locals and travelers alike. The combination of interiors that make the whole building feel underwater, and its actual rooftop view of Ikebukuro, makes for a pretty interesting atmosphere. As a gathering place for people from all over, however, the aquarium is taking measures to avoid any dangers presented by coronavirus. The facilities are closed until March 15th as a preventative measure.
All the underwater friends at the aquarium, though? They're doing just fine! The animals of Sunshine Aquarium are going on with their daily lives, happily splashing and swimming and eating as usual! And the aquarium staff are still in every day, to take care of our water-loving animal buddies, and share a little of their day with us via Twitter (@Sunshine_Aqua) and Youtube. According to the aquarium, they're just hoping the cute pictures and little clips of the animals will bring a little fun and relaxation to everybody's day!
The aquarium's Asian small-clawed otters, Raja, Mahalo, and Momiji, are a happy little family, and they are certainly just adorable as ever. Today's state of affairs: napping in a pile together, as usual.
Chap♂ and Paco♀, Sunshine Aquarium's resident California sea lions, maintain an entertainingly careful distance. As they contentedly sun themselves in the warm spring sunshine, the way they looking away from each other… it does seem meaningful, doesn't it?
The Cape penguins of the Sunshine Aquarium "Penguins in the Sky" exhibit. The way they slip through the water looks so satisfying!
Lunch time! This is the best time for aquarium staff to check on how all the penguins are doing. Just by looking at the penguins' appetites, and their enthusiasm, you can tell a lot about how they're feeling in general.
Here we see the humphead wrasse of the aquarium's large Sunshine Lagoon tank. Wave your hand and call them over, and they'll get up close just to snag a snack!
To all of you out there who saw this handful of pictures and videos and thought "So relaxing; I need even more cute animals!"
The staff at Sunshine Aquarium update their social media all the time, with that relaxing cute animal content you crave! So check in with the aquarium's lively animals whenever you need a moment of adorable tranquility.
Twitter: Follow them at @Sunshine_Aqua for the very latest in cheerful animal content!
Facebook: And check them out at @Sunshine.aquarium.official for more official information about aquarium goings-on, published in Japanese.
YouTube: Find their channel at SunshineAquarium, where you can watch livestreams of the penguins, sea lions, and cute clownfish!
Details
NAME:Sunshine Aquarium
MAP
ACCESS:Ikebukuro Station
The latest news from Japan - learn what's new in the land of the rising sun, from an international group right on the scene.
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Hokkaido (北海道) is the northernmost of the four main islands that make up Japan. The area is famous for Sapporo Beer, plus brewing and distilling in general, along with fantastic snow festivals and breathtaking national parks. Foodies should look for Hokkaido's famous potatoes, cantaloupe, dairy products, soup curry, and miso ramen!
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Japan's most densely populated area, the Kanto Region (関東地方) includes 7 prefectures: Gunma, Tochigi, Ibaraki, Saitama, Tokyo, Chiba, and Kanagawa, which means it also contains the Tokyo Metropolitan Area. In modern-day Japan, Kanto is the cultural, political, and economic heartland of the country, and each prefecture offers something a little different from its neighbors.
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OSAKA
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Osaka is known for friendly (and funny) people, but its history is nothing to laugh at, playing a major part in Toyotomi Hideyoshi's 16th century unification of Japan. Thanks to long years of economic activity, it's one of Japan's biggest cities, and Osaka's popular food culture earned it the nickname "The Kitchen of the Nation." To this day Osaka is the model of western Japan, and alongside historic structures like Osaka Castle, it also has major shopping malls like Umeda's Grand Front Osaka and Tennoji's Abeno Harukas. Osaka is a place to eat, eat, eat, with local specialties like takoyaki, okonomiyaki, and kushi-katsu, and for extra fun, it's home to Universal Studios Japan.
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SHIKOKU
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On the other side of the Seto Inland Sea opposite Japan’s main island, Shikoku (四国) is a region made up of four prefectures: Ehime, Kagawa, Kochi, and Tokushima. The area is famous for its udon (in Kagawa), and the beautiful Dogo Onsen hot springs (in Ehime).
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Kagawa Prefecture is on the northern part of the island of Shikoku, facing Japan's main island and the Seto Inland Sea. It's known for being the smallest prefecture in Japan, by area, but at the same time Kagawa is called the "Udon Prefecture" thanks to its famous sanuki udon. Aside from Kotohiragu Shrine and Ritsurin Garden, the prefecture's small islands are popular, and Kagawa is full of unique destinations, like Angel Road. They say that if you lay eyes on Zenigata Sunae, a huge Kagawa sand painting, you'll never have money troubles ever again.
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KYUSHU
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Located in the most southwestern part of Japan, Kyushu (九州) is an island of 7 prefectures: Fukuoka, Saga, Nagasaki, Kumamoto, Oita, Miyazaki, and Kagoshima. The island's unique culture has been influenced by Chinese and Dutch trade, along with missionaries coming in through Nagasaki's port. Modern-day travelers love the lush natural scenery and fresh food, plus the natural hot springs found all throughout the area (thanks to volcanic activity)!
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FUKUOKA
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Fukuoka Prefecture has the highest population on the southern island of Kyushu, with two major cities: Fukuoka and Kitakyushu. Thanks to growing transportation networks, Fukuoka is more accessible than ever, and so are the many local attractions. On top of historical spots like Dazaifu Tenmangu Shrine, travelers shouldn't miss Fukuoka's food scene, with motsu nabe (offal hotpot), mentaiko (spicy cod roe), and famous Hakata ramen―best eaten from a food stall in the Nakasu area of Hakata. Plus, it's full of all sorts of destinations for travelers, like trendy shopping centers, and the beautiful nature of Itoshima and Yanagawa.
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Kagoshima Prefecture played a major role in Japan's modernization as a backdrop for famous historical figures like samurais Saigo Takamori and Okubo Toshimichi, who pushed Japan out of the Edo era and into the Meiji. Because of that, Sengan-en Garden is just one of many historical destinations, and when it comes to attractions Kagoshima has plenty: the active volcano of Sakurajima, popular hot springs Ibusuki Onsen and Kirishima Onsen, World Heritage Site Yakushima Island, even what Japan calls the "island closest to heaven," Amami Oshima. Kagoshima might be found on the very southernmost tip of the southern island of Kyushu, but there's plenty to see.
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OKINAWA
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The island chain of Okinawa (沖縄) makes up the southernmost tip of Japan, which is why it's also the most tropical area in the country. Thanks to a history of independence and totally distinct political and cultural events, Okinawa has a unique culture, and remnants of the Ryukyu Kingdom are still visible all over the islands. Food, language, traditional dress, it's all a little different! It's also said to be the birthplace of karate.
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