Sumida Aquarium: A Must-See for Penguin Lovers
The innovative layout of the penguin habitat affords multiple viewpoints.
There are a lot of stairs between me and my destination. Luckily there are also a series of escalators. I choose the latter. Built in 2012, the Sumida Aquarium sits on the 5th and 6th floors of Japan’s towering Tokyo Skytree. This modern aquarium packs a punch, hosting one of the largest indoor penguin pools in Japan.
Visitors start their journey on the 6th floor, greeted by tanks of colorful fish, with informational displays in both Japanese and English. The next room features an impressive collection of jellyfish, followed by a coral reef exhibit, but by this point my attention is divided. As the pathway winds down to the 5th floor in an open floor plan, the star attraction is clearly visible.
Penguin keepers skillfully keep track of who has and hasn’t been fed.
An artificial island juts up out of an open air tank, divided into two habitats. On one side, fur seals splash and bark, but my focus is on the colony of penguins in the other section. The noisy black and white birds cluster on the rocks, or bob and glide through the water, sometimes, it seems, even showing off for their audience. Their open-topped habitat affords a variety of viewpoints, from directly overhead to eye-to-eye with the penguins as they swim. Several keepers step onto the rocky island, and a crowd forms for feeding time — people outside the exhibit and penguins within. The keepers pull fish out of rectangular packs strapped around their waists, strategically feeding each penguin in turn, while on a higher rock, a woman with a clipboard skillfully takes notes. There is an air of organized chaos.
The Sumida Penguins Relationship Chart is a fan favorite.
Sumida Aquarium is home to around fifty Magellanic penguins, whose names and personalities are displayed on an intricate Relationship Chart nearby. A QR code directs visitors to an English language version of the chart. The details in the chart show the love the caretakers must have for their penguins, from notes about which penguins prefer another’s company (married, divorced, “more than friends”), which penguins love to pose for visitors (The Camera Lovers), even the relationships between the penguins and the keepers themselves (“Don’t touch me after you’ve been playing with other penguins!”). Apparently the Relationship Chart is so popular that you can even buy a copy in the gift shop.
Visitors to the Penguin Cafe can choose a table with a view.
Just a few steps from the exhibit, you’ll find the Penguin Cafe, with a variety of treats that are penguin-themed. I purchase the Penguin Float (with penguin shaped ice) and a Penguin Donut, then carry my tray to one of the many tables located tank-side. I always feel a bit guilty, biting the heads off penguin treats, but the ones swimming by don’t seem to judge me.
Penguin donuts and drinks with penguin-shaped ice are just some of the snacks available.
The last stop before I leave is, of course, the gift shop, and the Sumida Aquarium doesn’t disappoint. They clearly recognize that penguins are one of their star attractions, and stock their shop with that in mind. I‘m particularly pleased to see a variety of unique penguin goods, such as the Omikuzi lucky fortune penguin, or painted tumblers crafted from wood that was cut down during the development of nearby Sumida Park. My souvenir of choice is a single penguin feather encased in a wooden penguin keychain, a Sumida Aquarium exclusive.
Feeling lucky? You can buy a penguin fortune at the gift shop.
Tokyo is a big city, with many different aquariums and zoos to choose from. As a penguin enthusiast, I am more than happy that I made time to visit the Sumida Aquarium on my vacation, and I hope you will as well!
For a unique souvenir, why not purchase a keychain with a real penguin feather inside?