Tokyo Sea Life Park

Walk up through Kasai Rinkai Park from the station and the aquarium shows itself as a glass dome sitting above a sheet of water, with Tokyo Bay behind it. It opened on October 10, 1989, and the building is by Yoshio Taniguchi. The main event is the doughnut-shaped tank of about 2,200 tons, where Pacific bluefin tuna swim laps around the viewing area in the middle; feeding times for the tuna, penguins and seabirds are worth planning around. Outdoors, the penguin enclosures hold several species, though individual displays can be suspended at short notice, so check the notices before you go for a particular animal. The building is aging, and Tokyo Metropolitan Government is building a new aquarium on the neighboring site, planned to open in 2028. For now the old one is a bargain. Adults pay 700 yen, children through elementary school get in free, and on October 1 and October 10 everyone does. Most people spend 1.5 to 2 hours. It is closed on Wednesdays, flash and tripods are not allowed, and the aquarium has no car park of its own.