The Kamo Aquarium
Tsuruoka City, Yamagata PrefectureA Wondrous Aquarium on the coast of Shonai
Located along the pristine coastline of Tsuruoka City, The Kamo Aquarium showcases the rich and beatifully diverse sealife of the Shonai Region. Additionally, this aquarium boasts multiple Guiness World Records for its diverse display of jellyfish and is renown as a global leader in jellyfish research and cultivation.
Quick Information
Business Hours
9:00am to 5:00pm (last entry 4:00pm)
Holidays
Open Everyday, Year-Round
Admission
Adults (15 or older): 1,000 yen
Children (6 to 15) 500 yen
Infants (5 and younger): Free
Address
Okubo-657-1 Imaizumi, Tsuruoka, Yamagata 997-1206
Aquarium Highlights
The Kamo Aquarium is a large facility featuring a wide variety of attractions centered around the coastal and aquatic life found in and around Tsuruoka City. Here are just some of the many attractions that you can enjoy during your visit.
Jellyfish Exhibits
The Kamo Aquarium boasts the largest variety of jellyfish of any aquarium in the world! This wide range of jellyfish is spread across dozens of illuminated tanks around the aquarium.
Jellyfish Dream Theater
This massive circular tank holds the Guinness World Record for being the single largest display of Jellyfish in the world. Here you can watch as tens of thousands of illuminated jellyfish swirl in a slow circular motion.
Shonai Sealife
In addition to the huge variety of jellyfish, the Kamo Aquarium also showcases some of the vibrant sea life found just off the coast of where out aquarium is situated.
Sea Lion Performances
Daily performances by the sea lions of our aquarium are included in the general admission fee. Note that these performances are not held during the winter months of January and February.
Lunch at Okimizuki
Discard you notion of dining at aquariums. Okimizuki is produced by Chef Takeshi Suda, one of Yamagata’s top chefs and aims to showcase the culinary excellence of the Shonai Coast. It is open for both lunch and dinner.
Freshwater Life
The mountains of Tsuruoka City provide a constant flow of pure water that hosts a wide variety of freshwater aquatic life. You can see many of these species in this special section of the aquarium.
Access Information
The Kamo Aquarium has a large dedicated parking lot that is free for guests to use. It also is connected to Tsuruoka Station via bus which makes it easy for travelers without a car to access as well.
Please see the chart below for detailed information on how to access our facility.
By car
- From Tokyo (approx. 480km, 6 hours 30 minutes by paying roads)
- From Sendai (approx. 160km, 2 hours 30 minutes by paying roads)
The indicative information have been estimated by governmental administrations. They are subject to change according the traffic situation and other conditions.
Nearest toll exit:
- Yamagata Expressway Tsuruoka IC (15 min. away)
- Nihonkai Tohoku Expressway Tsuruoka Nishi IC (25 min. away)
By taxi
- 30 min. from JR Tsuruoka Station
- 20 min. from Shonai Airport
By bus
- Location: JR Tsuruoka Station
- Name of the bus: Shonai Kotsu Local Bus (Shonai kotsu rosen bus 庄内交通路線バス)
- Direction: Yunohama Onsen dir. (Kamo Aquarium stop) : 40min. from JR Tsuruoka Station. Get off at the bus stop called Kamo Suizokukan 加茂水族館 (Kamo Aquarium)(click here for timetables)
Please remind the bus bound for Zenpoji temple does not stop at Kamo Aquarium.
By train
JR Tokyo Station → JR Tsuruoka Station (approx. 4 hours)
JR Niigata Station → JR Tsuruoka Station (approx. 2 hours)
click here for timetables: Conventional line timetables at Tsuruoka Station (Japanese)
By plane
Haneda Airport → Shonai Airport (approx. 1 hour) (click here for timetables)
Please remind there is no direct public transportation from the airport to the aquarium. If you plan to use the bus, please transfer at Tsuruoka Station.
For direct transportation, please use a taxi service or contact a car rental service.