Struck By The Beauty Of Marine Creatures At Enosui In Enoshima, Japan

Experience Sagami Bay at Enosui

There are many exciting water tanks filled with both interesting and beautiful marine creatures at Enosui, but the one which attracts many visitors, because of the massive size and the number of creatures, is the gigantic tank located in the middle of the aquarium. This tank displays the life of marine creatures right in front of the aquarium at Sagami Bay, and is called Sagami Bay Big Aquarium, “Sagami-Wan Dai-Suisou” in Japanese.

Enosui, located in Enoshima, faces Sagami Bay, which is the bay south of Kanagawa Prefecture, having the Miura Peninsula to the east, and Izu Peninsula to the west. This Sagami-Wan Dai-Suisou displays the marine life of Sagami Bay right in front of the visitors, and is almost like the miniature version of the bay. Compared to other water tanks at the aquarium, this tank holds many more kinds of marine creatures, all co-existing in harmony, similar to how it should be out in the wild. Since Enosui created this gigantic tank to be as close to nature as possible, there are waves crashing at the top of the tank, as well as fish forming a school to swim together.

The treaters at Enosui

At most of the aquariums where you see shows of dolphins, sea lions, or seals, you see “trainers” working with marine creatures. At Enosui they do not call themselves the trainers, but they call themselves “treaters.” They say that they are not training the marine creatures, but they are sharing precious moments together, treating them with care, and the marine creatures treat people with a great experience in return. The relationship that staff and marine creatures have together at Enosui is nothing like what you would see elsewhere. By seeing how they interact makes you smile and feel something warm inside. If you are interested, Enosui hosts many shows throughout the day, so make sure to check the event schedule when you visit so you can witness how they interact in and out of the tanks with people on many of the stages.

The beauty of jellyfish

If you are thinking an aquarium is only for children, you are wrong! One of the most popular hang out spots at Enosui is the Jellyfish Fantasy Hall, and it is particularly popular among adults.

At Jellyfish Fantasy Hall, you see various kinds of jellyfish of different colors, sizes, and length, which float in water effortlessly. In this space, it is so easy to forget time. There are seating areas provided so people often simply sit there to watch jellyfish swim like celestial maidens. Another reason why this spot is so popular is because Enosui regularly hosts events with projection mapping in this space. How modern technology and jellyfish collaborate is incredibly entertaining, and calming. Depending on the time of the year, you might see a cherry blossom project mapping, like in the picture above, to celebrate the spring arrival. Also, at this time of the year, jellyfish may collaborate with Christmas trees and decorations to create an early Christmas atmosphere.

Half-day or all day adventure in Enoshima

It is not a lie to say that you can spend all day at Enosui. There are many indoor and outdoor sections that you can see and experience. At some of these areas, you can actually experience touching turtles, and shaking hands with dolphins. It would certainly be a little bonus if you have children with you. They would love that! There is also a café and a souvenir shop so you can easily spend half day, if not all day here. If you are visiting Kamakura area to see the Buddha or visit some temples, you can always travel a little further to visit Enosui. In addition, Enoshima is famous for its beach and surf culture. You can come out to the beach to surf, eat at a nearby cafe or restaurant, and then finish your day at Enosui. This is a perfect way to get a good idea of what this area is all about.