, officially Akita Prefectural Oga Aquarium, is a public aquarium located along Oga Peninsula coast, Oga, Akita Prefecture, Japan. GAO stands for Globe, Aqua and Ocean, with the imagery of the logo inspired by Namahage.
Overview Overlooking the Sea of Japan, the aquarium exhibits over 10,000 species of marine life, including those from Akita Prefecture's abundant marine resources, and over 400 species of rare aquatic animals from around the world. The aquarium features the only water tank in Japan where Japanese sandfish are exhibited year round. The aquarium also has a touch pool, where visitors can handle marine life such as sea urchins and sea cucumbers. During the New Year’s season, divers dress up as Namahage and feed the fish in the main tank. The aquarium has appeared in the 2004 film Tsuribaka Nisshi 15.
History The former Akita Prefectural Aquarium was founded in 1967, and displayed 300 species, including Japanese sandfish, penguins, otters, and spectacled caimans.
Exhibits
Live sharksucker Red seabream Takifugu xanthopterus Japanese red seaperch Pitted stingray Green sea turtle Japanese poacher Stereolepis Omobranchus elegans Japanese spider crab Sea raven Japanese tree frog Pond loach Tabira bitterling Pungitius Japanese fluvial sculpin Common carp Montane brown frog Southern fiddler ray Melbourne skate Nezumi fugu Spotted garden eel Green chromis Xingu River ray Piranha Southern rockhopper penguin Northern sea nettle Earless seal Sea lion Jellyfish Japanese sandfish
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Gallery
Parking lot
It can hold 630 cars and vehicles.
See also Oga Quasi-National Park Nyūdōzaki Lighthouse
Notes
External links
Namahage Shuttle