Uozu Aquarium

Uozu Aquarium
Uozu Aquarium
36.7985°N 137.3881°E / 36.7985; 137.3881
Date opened	September 21, 1914 (1914-09-21)[1]
Location	Uozu, Toyama
No. of animals	Around 10,000[2]
No. of species	Around 330 [2]
Volume of largest tank	Toyama Bay Giant Tank 240,000 litres (63,000 US gal) [3]
Total volume of tanks	450,000 litres (119,000 US gal)
Website	English website

Uozu Aquarium (魚津水族館, Uozu Suizokukan) is an aquarium in Uozu, Toyama Prefecture, Japan.^[1] Opened on the 21st of September 1913, it claims to be the oldest aquarium in Japan still open.^[4][5]

The aquarium is accredited as a Registered Museum by the Museum Act from Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology.^[6]

History

Uozu Aquarium before the war

The aquarium was established as a venue for the 1913 Eight Prefectures Exhibition in what was then Uozu town of Shimoniikawa District, and was officially opened on the 21st of September, 1913, making it the first aquarium to open on the coast of the Sea of Japan.^[7] In May 1914 it would be sold to Uozu town. Due to the Pacific War, the aquarium closed in March 1944 to be used as a fish processing plant.

In 1914, a loss of power lead to the discovery that the Japanese pineapplefish contains luminescent bacteria on each side of its jaw.^[7][8]

In 1953, for the Toyama Industrial Exposition, the decision was made to re-establish an aquarium on the site. Despite opposition from the fishing industry in the area, and several other areas submitting bids to host the aquarium, construction on the original site began in September 1953 and was finished by April 1954.^[9]

The current aquarium was opened on the 10th of April, 1981.^[10] Also in 1981, the building, designed by the Uozu City Environmental Design Office, won an architectural award, presented by the Toyama Society of Architects and Building Engineers.^[11]

Shark Tunnel

Uozu Aquarium features the first shark tunnel to be built in Japan.^[7][12] It runs through the length of the Toyama Bay Giant Tank.

In 2013, in the 100th anniversary of an aquarium on the site, a sign was placed at the entrances to the tunnel proclaiming it as the first such acrylic glass aquarium tunnel in the world.^[13]

Exhibits

Aquarium pictures

• The Rivers of Toyama
• Biodiversity in Rice Fields
• Toyama Bay Deep Sea
• Toyama Bay Surface Layer
• Toyama Bay Giant Tank
• Jungle Ecosystem
• Coral Reef Area
• Penguin Pool

Facilities

• Uosui Famirium
• Backstage Corner
• Touch Pool

References

1. "Uozu Aquarium". Uozu Aquarium. 2017. Retrieved 15 August 2022.
2. "Uozu Aquarium Guide" (in Japanese). Uozu Aquarium. Retrieved 15 August 2022.
3. "富山湾大水槽" (in Japanese). Uozu Aquarium. Retrieved 15 August 2022.
4. "日本最古の水族館。100年以上の歴史を誇る、富山「魚津水族館」" (in Japanese). Trip Editor. 15 May 2019. Retrieved 15 August 2022.
5. "愛され続けて３代目 魚津水族館（1913年〜）" (in Japanese). 中日新聞. 17 January 2021. Retrieved 15 August 2022.
6. "法律上の位置付けがある登録博物館・指定施設". 文化庁. 27 February 2024.
7. "人気は深海魚コーナーの水族館！しかし、31年ぶりに富山湾で捕獲された「アカナマダ」からはプラスチックゴミが…【富山発】" (in Japanese). FNN. 19 August 2019. Retrieved 23 August 2022.
8. "マツカサウオ" (in Japanese). sea-fishes.com. Retrieved 23 August 2022.
9. 魚津市史 続巻現代編 (in Japanese). Uozu City Board of Education. 31 March 2012. pp. 493–494.
10. "魚津水族館" (in Japanese). Uozu Tourism Association. Retrieved 23 August 2022.
11. "昭和56年度 第12回富山県建築賞受賞作品名簿" (in Japanese). Toyama Society of Architects and Building Engineers. 18 August 2012. Retrieved 23 August 2022.
12. "魚津水族館に人続々" (in Japanese). Toyama Shinbun. 2 May 2022. Retrieved 23 August 2022.
13. "魚津水族館・アクリル製トンネル 歴史紹介の解説板設置" (in Japanese). CHUNICHI Web. 26 April 2013. Archived from the original on 10 May 2013. Retrieved 23 August 2022.

External links

• Official Site (in English)
• Official Site (in Japanese)
• YouTube channel