Shimoda Marine Aquarium (下田海中水族館), an experiential aquarium located in Shimoda City, Shizuoka Prefecture, has been holding its summer special exhibition "All About Fixed-Net Fishing" (まるっと定置網展) since Saturday, June 27, 2026. As the second installment of this summer-break program, the aquarium is adding a fish feeding show featuring a diver dressed as a fisherman — "Discovery Ocean" — starting Saturday, July 25.
About the "All About Fixed-Net Fishing" Exhibition
The summer special exhibition "All About Fixed-Net Fishing," which began on Saturday, June 27, 2026, is themed around fixed-net fishing. Although fixed-net fishing is one of the fisheries supporting our everyday diet, how it actually works remains little known to the general public. Fixed nets take advantage of fish behavior to catch only the fish that migrate along natural ocean currents, making it a sustainable, "non-exhaustive" fishing method. Beyond reducing fuel consumption and preventing overfishing, the method has recently drawn attention for combining with smart, data-driven fishing using AI and IoT, embodying the SDGs (particularly Goal 14, "Life Below Water") and contributing to the conservation of marine resources. "All About Fixed-Net Fishing" offers clear, easy-to-understand explanations of how fixed nets work and what happens at the fishing grounds, so visitors can learn a little more about this style of fishing.
Second Installment: Fisherman-Costume Fish Feeding Show "Discovery Ocean"
A diver dressed in a fisherman-inspired costume appears in the fish feeding show "Discovery Ocean." During the show, the diver introduces the fish from a fisherman's perspective, covering topics such as the best season to catch each fish, how they taste, and which species can be dangerous. Alongside the diver, a narrator dressed as someone conducting an auction at a fish market explains how to enjoy each fish, using real specimens — including the spines on a ray's tail and a moray eel's skull — to illustrate the hazardous parts of certain species.
Period: July 25 (Saturday) to August 23 (Sunday), 2026
Time: 10:35 AM / 2:35 PM
Location: Large tank, Aqua Dome Perry
About Shimoda Aquarium
Shimoda Marine Aquarium opened in March 1967 as an experiential aquarium operated by Shimoda Aqua Service Co., Ltd., a wholly owned subsidiary of Fujita Kanko. It is one of Japan's rare aquariums making use of a natural inlet, exhibiting dolphins, sea lions, seals, penguins, otters, and marine life native to the waters around the Izu Peninsula. With an abundance of feeding programs and hands-on activities such as swimming with dolphins, the aquarium is known for the especially close interaction it offers between visitors and marine life.
Location: 22-31 San-chome, Shimoda City, Shizuoka Prefecture 415-0023
Access:
- By Train: 7 minutes by regular bus / 5 minutes by taxi / 25 minutes on foot from Izukyu-Shimoda Station on the Izukyu Line
- By Car: Approximately 40 km from Tsukigase IC on the Izu Chuo Expressway and Shuzenji Road
Official Website: https://shimoda-aquarium.com
