Acuario Churaumi

**Feeding time:** Whale sharks are fed at 15:00 and 17:00 daily (9:30 and 15:00 on weekends) — they swim vertically with mouths open, filtering plankton from the water in a dramatic display. The 15:00 feeding is less crowded than 17:00. Arrive 30 minutes early to secure viewing position (the tank has bench seating for 180 people; standing behind is suboptimal). **Cafe Ocean Blue:** The aquarium contains a café with floor-to-ceiling windows facing the Kuroshio Sea tank — you can eat lunch (pizza, pasta, ¥1,200–1,800) while watching whale sharks swim past. The café is surprisingly uncrowded (most visitors skip it) and provides the most relaxed tank viewing. Entry via the aquarium; no separate admission. **Park strategy:** The aquarium is only 1/3 of Ocean Expo Park. After the aquarium (2–3 hours), visit the free dolphin show at Okichan Theater (15-min walk, shows at 11:00, 13:00, 14:30, 17:30 — arrive 30 min early for shade seating). Then explore the Emerald Beach (free swimming beach with lifeguards, June–September). The full park requires 6+ hours; aquarium-only visits are 3 hours.