Sendai Umino-Mori Aquarium
Sendai Umino-Mori Aquarium
Date opened1 July 2015
LocationSendai, Miyagi, Japan
No. of animals50,000
No. of species300
Volume of largest tank990,000 litres (262,000 US gal)
Total volume of tanks3,100,000 litres (819,000 US gal)
MembershipsJAZA
Major exhibitsBlue shark
Dolphins' show
ManagementYokohama Hakkeijima[1]
WebsiteEnglish website

Sendai Umino-Mori Aquarium (仙台うみの杜水族館, Sendai Umino-Mori Suizokukan, lit.'Sendai Ocean's Forest Aquarium') is a public aquarium located in Sendai, Miyagi Prefecture, Japan.[2] It opened in 2015 as a successor to the Marinepia Matsushima Aquarium, which had been open for 88 years.

Exhibits

Dolphin show

Inherited from the Marinepia Matsushima Aquarium are Commerson's dolphins[3] and finless porpoises, along with fish from the Sanriku region.

The facility is a two-story building with 100 fish tanks. Inside there is a dolphin and sea lion show pool that can accommodate about 1,000 people.[4]

Captive blue sharks

The aquarium has a focus on rearing and exhibiting blue sharks as representative fish from Sanriku. Bred in a cylindrical tank separate from the main, large tank, most of the young sharks did not last long initially.

In 2016, three blue sharks were captured and brought to the aquarium.[5] In 2017 one of these, a male, broke the previous record of captivity of 244 days. The previous record was set at Tokyo Sea Life Park.[6]

A blue shark was later captured in 2018 and survived in captivity for 873 days until it died in December 2020, significantly increasing the record.[7] The shark was captured in Shizugawa Bay on July 27, 2018, and taken to the aquarium. The total length at the time of delivery was 51 cm (1.67 ft), the estimated weight was 345g, and it was estimated to be a year old. The cause of death was attributed to disordered swimming due to dehydration. At the time of death, the total length was 114 cm (3.74 ft) and the weight was 4kg. This growth rate was said to be the same as that of wild blue sharks.[8]

History

Marinepia Matsushima Aquarium

Exterior of Marinepia Matsushima Aquarium

Marinepia Matsushima Aquarium (マリンピア松島水族館, Marinpia Matsushima Suizokukan, where Marinepia is a combination of Marine 'Marine' and pia 'pier') was a public aquarium in Matsushima, Miyagi. It opened on April 1, 1927, and closed on May 10, 2015, making it the second longest-running aquarium in Japan, after Uozu Aquarium.

Marinepia Matsushima Aquarium was operated by Sendai express which, in 2001, began to consider a renewal of the aquarium due to aging.[9] Following the opening of Oga Aquarium Gao and Aquamarine Fukushima, the number of visitors to the aquarium began to decrease.

In 2009, Sendai City announced plans to relocate the aquarium to Takasago Central Park in Sendai Port.[9] However, in February 2010, Sendai express canceled its investment in the relocation due to the lack of prospects for raising funds.[10] Then, in 2013, six companies, including Yokohama Hakkeijima Sea Paradise, established the Sendai Aquarium Development Co., Ltd.[11] The new company built Sendai Umino-Mori Aquarium in the hinterland of Sendai Port, where the Marinepia Matsushima Aquarium was supposed to move. Sendai express did not invest in the new aquarium, but the new aquarium accepted animals from the Marinepia aquarium.[12]

Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami

In 2011, the Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami caused seawater and mud to flood Marinepia Matsushima Aquarium, breaking the circulation pump. This resulted in the loss of about 5% of the aquarium's approximately 4000 animals.[13][14][15] The aquarium received new tropical fish and jellyfish from Kamo Aquarium, Osaka Aquarium, and Kagoshima Aquarium.[16][15]

Facilities

Floor (1F)

  • Welcome Hall
  • The seas of Japan
    • 1. The Submarine Forest of Sea pineapple (Maboya)
    • 2. Sparkling of Life
    • 3. Oyashio, Cold Current
    • 4. Irodori, Sea of seaweed
    • 5. Tairyo, Great Fish
    • 6. Naiwan, Sea of Blessing
    • 7. Amamo, Sea Cradel
    • 8. Higate, Cultivating Sea Life
    • 9. Shinkai, Deep Sea
    • 10. UMINO-MORI Lab.
    • 11. The Hirose River, the Source of Sea
  • UMINO-MORI Beach

Floor (2F)

  • 12. The Gallery for People
  • 13. Scene I Oceania
  • 14. Scene II Europe
  • 15. Scene III Africa
  • 16. Scene IV North America and South America
  • 17. Scene V Asia
  • 18. Our Mother Sea
  • 19. Communication Wall
  • 20. Jellyfish Room
  • The Plaza of Marine Animals (supported by Mitsui Life)

Shops

  • Cabana
  • Umimori shop Museum Shop
  • Wakuwaku ocean Food Court[17]

See also

References

  1. "海と島と生きもののテーマパーク". 横浜・八景島シーパラダイス.
  2. "Sendai Umino-Mori Aquarium". 2017-02-22.
  3. "仙台うみの杜水族館、復興の象徴 共に成長する姿". 産経新聞. 2015-06-24. Retrieved 30 April 2021.
  4. 2015年春開業目指す「仙台水族館」概要発表-東北最大級のショーも 2021-05-01
  5. "ヨシキリザメ、展示を再開 うみの杜水族館". 読売新報. 2017-02-22. Archived from the original on 2016-06-24. Retrieved 20 May 2021.
  6. "<うみの杜水族館>ヨシキリザメ飼育 新記録". 河北新報. 2016-06-24. Retrieved 30 April 2021.
  7. "ヨシキリザメ死亡について" (PDF). 17 December 2020. Retrieved 30 April 2021.
  8. "ヨシキリザメ№25について 仙台うみの杜水族館公式サイト". 24 January 2021. Retrieved 1 May 2021.
  9. 1 2 マリンピア松島水族館移転問題、 仙台港背後地に証券化で新水族館開発へ 2021-05-01
  10. (仮称)仙台水族館への出資について 2021-05-01
  11. 仙台水族館(仮称)設置に向けて新会社を設立 - 2021-05-01
  12. 復興象徴の水族館、15年春仙台に開業 横浜八景島も参画/神奈川 2021-05-01
  13. "宮城・松島水族館、88年の歴史に幕 震災乗り越えるも老朽化に勝てず". 2015-05-05. Retrieved 2021-05-01.
  14. "水族館に笑顔再び 松島43日ぶり営業再開". 産経新聞. 2011-04-23. Retrieved 2021-05-01.
  15. 1 2 "震災被害受けた水族館でペンギン誕生 宮城". 日テレ. 2011-04-05. Retrieved 2021-05-01.
  16. "松島町 マリンピア松島水族館". 2014. Retrieved 2011-04-23.
  17. "Sendai Umino-Mori Aquarium". Sendai Umino-Mori Aquarium.
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