Hokkaido’s Otaru Aquarium, Which Features Popular Dolphin Show, Opens for the Season

The Yomiuri Shimbun

11:48 JST, April 4, 2026

OTARU, Hokkaido — The Otaru Aquarium in Otaru, Hokkaido, has opened for the season, drawing large crowds of locals and tourists.

Special performances introducing the ecology and appeal of the exhibited creatures are popular. Cheers erupted from the audience during “dolphin time,” which features two male bottlenose dolphins and one South American sea lion, in response to the dolphins’ powerful jumps and endearing gestures.

In addition to the performances, the aquarium highlights its daily health management efforts by demonstrating how the animals’ body temperature is measured using a sensor inserted into their bodies.

An elementary school student visiting the aquarium with her family from Kita-Hiroshima, Hokkaido, said: “It was amazing how high they jumped. I want to come see it again.”

This season’s operations, which started on March 14, will last until Nov. 23 without any fixed closed days. During this period, a special exhibition that illustrates the evolution of animals as seen through their bones is being held.