AOAO SAPPORO, an urban aquarium, will open in Sapporo's new moyuk SAPPORO complex on July 20, 2023. Here we introduce the contents of the remarkable exhibits, opening hours, and fees.

AOAO SAPPORO is an urban aquarium that opened on Thursday, July 20, 2023. It will open on the 4th to 6th floors of the moyuk SAPPORO complex, located at the entrance to the Raccoon Street shopping arcade in the center of Sapporo.

Inside the AOAO SAPPORO

The theme of the exhibition, which will feature as many as 4,000 organisms (including plants) from 250 species, is "The Wonder of Life: Seeing the Invisible. As a gateway to nature in the city, this exhibit will let visitors experience the wonder of nature and the creatures of the waterfront.

In addition, from September 29 (Fri.), the aquarium will launch new programs to make the aquarium even more enjoyable, such as a night-only free pass "Yona Yona Pass," a new drink menu, and a yoga experience.

The exhibit will consist of three zones, offering a complex experience related to "people's relationship with water," including penguin and other creature exhibits, as well as a backyard exhibit that goes behind the scenes of the aquarium, digital art that gives visitors an immersive experience of being in the vast ocean world, and a mini botanical garden where tropical greenery flourishes in abundance.

AOAO SAPPORO Museum Map

The 4th floor is an exhibition zone that takes visitors into the backyard behind the aquarium, where they can closely observe the seawater production process and the health management of the exhibited organisms. As an introduction to the exhibits, visitors can learn about the structure and role of the aquarium, and get a close-up look at the working staff's love for the creatures and passion for their jobs.

Seawater is produced in a plant approximately 1.6 meters in diameter and 2.7 meters high.

Japanese crayfish and northern salamanders on display

The 5th floor is an exhibition zone designed to allow visitors to observe the lives of living creatures. Visitors can discover and be moved by observation through the beautiful "Nature Aquarium," which reproduces ecosystems, and the "Library Aquarium," where visitors can enjoy the experience of turning the pages of a book one by one.

In the "Nature Aquarium," visitors can observe small creatures in their natural state in a beautiful underwater landscape with thriving aquatic plants, and in a Japanese-style space surrounded by four aquatic landscapes, they can observe the ecosystem of a "living aquarium" up close and personal while appreciating the importance of nature.

The Nature Aquarium is the third permanent exhibit of its kind in the world.

In the "LIBRARY AQUARIUM / Room of Observation and Discovery," visitors can enjoy library-like exhibits that focus on the characteristics and attractions of living creatures. The centerpiece of the exhibit is a reconstructed skeletal specimen of the world's oldest large sea cow, the Sapporo caecilian. The 7-meter-long skeletal specimen of the Sapporo caecilian, which is believed to have lived about 8.2 million years ago, when Sapporo was a sea, will be on display.

The specimen was borrowed in cooperation with the Sapporo Museum Activity Center.

In addition, 43 aquariums of various sizes are lined up with observation points to provide visitors with knowledge about the organisms and their habitats. Books related to the exhibited organisms are also on display, allowing visitors to explore the ecology of the organisms they are interested in.

Aquariums of various sizes

The popular chin sea eels also make an appearance

The 6th floor is an exhibition zone where visitors can spend their free time in the same space as penguins and other creatures. A sea of digital art and a miniature botanical garden with lush greenery spread out, and you can enjoy croissants, beer, and cocktails at the "Pan Bar" attached to the building!

The main attraction, the penguin exhibit, is located on the 6th floor. The rockhopper penguins are characterized by their yellow, eyebrow-like feathers above their eyes, and they hop around with their legs together. In an exhibit that makes use of this habit, visitors can observe the penguins as they hop.

Observe penguins' active behavior up close

The land area of the penguin tank is designed by combining hexagonal blocks. By changing the number and combination of blocks, the shape of the land area can be easily changed to bring about changes in the environment, a world-first mechanism.

Exhibits that make the most of penguin ecology

In the "Plankton Room," visitors can observe plankton drifting in the water. In 16 tanks of various sizes, water jellyfish and other organisms are slowly drifting in the water.

Plankton Room" with a fantastic atmosphere

The "Blue Room" is an exhibit that presents a vast ocean world expressed through digital art. Stories of realistic encounters with sea creatures are projected on a large screen approximately 20 meters wide, giving visitors an immersive experience as if they were under the sea.

The projection also covers an area of approximately 120 square meters of floor space, providing a powerful experience.

The "Green Room" is an exhibit where plants native to tropical regions thrive. More than 20 species of plants, including ficus trees over 2 meters in height, mingle in this botanical garden-like exhibit space, allowing visitors to feel the energy of life unique to the tropics.

The "Green Room" is dotted with relaxing benches.

The Green Room is home to "fairy penguins," the smallest of the world's 18 penguin species. Visitors can observe the ecology of the penguins in a relaxing atmosphere.

This is the first permanent exhibition of fairy penguins in Hokkaido.

AOAO SAPPORO will also open a bread bar "Shirokuma Bakery &" inside the museum, where you can enjoy bread and drinks, and a museum store that also sells original goods.

The "Shirokuma Bakery &" will open on the 6th floor as a "bread bar" where visitors can enjoy bread and drinks, croissants made from Hokkaido-grown wheat, and a bar menu including beer and cocktails from daytime to nighttime. All floors of the building are open for eating and drinking, and visitors can spend time with bread and beverages in hand while gazing at their favorite aquarium.

<"Polar Bear Bakery &" menu

Croissants
12 kinds of croissants made from Hokkaido wheat are available for your enjoyment.

Plain croissant: 290 yen
An Butter 420 yen
Fried hokke sandwich with Japanese aonori seaweed and hokke (hokke) 680 yen
Choco mint 490 yen, etc.

Drinks
Coffee during the day, cocktails and beer at night, and other beverages are available according to the occasion.

Soft drinks 390 yen
Polar Bear Blend Coffee (hot/ice) 510 yen
Beer "Sapporo Classic" 550 yen
Craft beer "SORACHI 1984" 690 yen
AOAO Sparkling 790 yen, etc.

All prices include tax.
The menu shown is an example.
Menu items are subject to change.

Polar Bear Bakery & Co.

The Museum Shop, located at the entrance on the 4th floor, sells more than 800 different products. About 70 kinds of original goods, including stuffed toys supervised by Assistant Director Yukio Kusuda, who has experience in penguin breeding for about half a century, will also be available for purchase. The Museum Shop can be used without a ticket, and visitors can casually drop by the store, where the lineup changes with each season and event.

Museum Shop

Museum Shop lineup

■Limited Plush Toys
These limited edition stuffed toys faithfully reproduce the characteristics and loveliness of Iwatobi penguins and fairy penguins under the supervision of Yukio Kusuda, Assistant Curator＊2.

Fairy penguin: 2,480 yen
Fairy penguin: 2,480 yen, etc.

Original goods

Original acrylic key chain 770 yen
Original printed cookies 1,380 yen
Original penguin tote bag 2,480 yen etc.

All prices include tax.

A coworking space is located next to the "Nature Aquarium" on the 5th floor. In addition to an Internet environment and power outlets, the space is also equipped with bookshelves and sofas. You can work or just relax with croissants and coffee from "Shirokuma Bakery &".

Coworking space can be used at no additional charge.

In addition, a baby room with a diaper changing station, nursing room, and kids' space is also provided on the 5th floor. Families with infants can enjoy the museum with peace of mind.

Three diaper changing stations and two nursing rooms are available

Kids' space for children to play

Open from 10:00 to 22:00, making it easy to drop by on your way home from work or while shopping. Admission fees vary depending on the time of year and will be 2,000 yen/2,200 yen for adults (high school students and older), 1,100 yen/1,000 yen for children (elementary and junior high school students), and 200 yen for infants (3 years and older).

The name "AOAO SAPPORO" is derived from the word "aoao," which represents the lively and flourishing of life. It expresses the desire to create a place where visitors can encounter the rich ecology of sea and water creatures, even though it is located in a building in the city of Sapporo.

AOAO SAPPORO Logo

AOAO SAPPORO is an urban aquarium accessible on foot from Odori and Susukino subway stations and JR Sapporo Station, and we cannot wait for its opening on July 20.

AOAO SAPPORO

Address: moyuk SAPPORO, 3-20 Minami 2-jo Nishi, Chuo-ku, Sapporo, 4F-6F
Business hours: 10:00-22:00 (last admission 21:00) *Varies according to season
Closed: None *Closed temporarily for facility maintenance, etc.
■Fees:
Adults (high school students and older) 2,200 yen / 2,000 yen
Children (elementary and junior high school students) 1,100 yen / 1,000 yen
Infants (3 years old and up) 200 yen
Admission fees vary depending on the season.
Access: 3 min. walk from Odori Subway Station / 1 min. walk from Sapporo City Tram "Raccoon Shoji" Station
■Official teaser site: https://aoao-sapporo.blue
Official Instagram account: @aoao_sapporo

See more details about "AOAO SAPPORO" on Domingo

moyuk SAPPORO

Address: 3-20 Minami 2-jo Nishi, Chuo-ku, Sapporo

See more details about "moyuk SAPPORO" on Domingo

Check it out as well!