Photo: At by At / CC BY-SA 3.0The aquarium is built around Kinko Bay, the deep bay the volcano sits in. Its exhibits cover the Kuroshio current (2nd floor, with a large Kuroshio tank), the waters off the Nansei Islands (2nd floor), and the local waters off Kagoshima with depths over 200 m (4th floor), plus a seal tank on the 1st floor and a bigfin reef squid tank.
It is next to the Sakurajima ferry pier and the waterfront, and the City View bus calls at a stop named after it. That makes it the easiest indoor stop for ships at Kita-futo and a sensible rain plan.
The catch is price and age fit: ¥2,000 is a lot for a single indoor stop, there is no senior rate listed, and from Marine Port you spend an hour on transfers. If you have only one short outing and the weather is clear, the ferry across to the volcano is the better use of the time.
Five things the plaques won't tell you
- Coin lockers are ¥100 and refunded after use; leave your bag and jacket.
- Show and feeding times are on an event image on the English page; the aquarium's phone line is +81 99 226 2233.
- The Sakurajima ferry terminal is about 5 minutes on foot from the Kita-futo berth; the ferry costs ¥250, paid on the Sakurajima side.
- The City View bus stop is named 'Kagoshima Aquarium (Sakurajima Pier)'. Day pass ¥700, covering trams and city buses.
- Last entry is 17:00 and closing 18:00, so arrive with at least 90 minutes in hand.
That makes it the easiest indoor stop for ships at Kita-futo and a sensible rain plan.
Guided days from Kagoshima
Booked before you sail — there is no tour desk at the pier. Booking through these links supports the site.
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Questions people ask here
How much is Kagoshima Aquarium?
¥2,000 for adults and ¥1,000 for elementary and junior high school children. The English page lists no senior discount.
How do I get there from the cruise port?
From Kita-futo it is next to the route to the ferry. From Marine Port, take the ship shuttle to Tenmonkan, then a tram to Suizokukan-guchi (¥200) and walk about 8 minutes.
Is the aquarium open on 7 December?
No. It closes for four days from the first Monday of December, which is 7 December in 2026; the aquarium does not list the exact dates, so confirm if you call then.