# Kuroshio Sea tank at Okinawa aquarium - amazing stuff **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [July 20, 2009, 8:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kuroshio-sea-tank-at-okinawa-aquarium-amazing-stuff/503669 "2009-07-20T20:48:03Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![mhendo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mhendo/32/3159_2.png) [@mhendo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mhendo)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2009, 8:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kuroshio-sea-tank-at-okinawa-aquarium-amazing-stuff/503669/1 "2009-07-20T20:48:03Z")
I’m a huge fan of sea life, and of aquariums. I’ve been to my share, including some excellent ones. But i now have a new mecca, and i won’t be satisfied until i’ve seen it in person. Here’s the video If your connection is fast enough, watch the high-def version. Definitely worth it. ---
**Author:** ![Smeghead](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f1d935/32.png) [@Smeghead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smeghead)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2009, 9:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kuroshio-sea-tank-at-okinawa-aquarium-amazing-stuff/503669/2 "2009-07-20T21:16:25Z")
Fixed link: [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u7deClndzQw](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u7deClndzQw) ---
**Author:** ![Uosdwis\_R.Dewoh](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Uosdwis\_R.Dewoh](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Uosdwis_R.Dewoh)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2009, 10:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kuroshio-sea-tank-at-okinawa-aquarium-amazing-stuff/503669/3 "2009-07-20T22:06:35Z")
That’s the second largest aquarium tank I’ve ever seen! ---
**Author:** ![mhendo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mhendo/32/3159_2.png) [@mhendo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mhendo)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2009, 10:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kuroshio-sea-tank-at-okinawa-aquarium-amazing-stuff/503669/4 "2009-07-20T22:15:08Z")
> [@Smeghead](#): > > Fixed link: [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u7deClndzQw](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u7deClndzQw) Crap! Thanks. ---
**Author:** ![Meurglys](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/258eb7/32.png) [@Meurglys](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Meurglys)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2009, 2:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kuroshio-sea-tank-at-okinawa-aquarium-amazing-stuff/503669/5 "2009-07-21T14:23:39Z")
That’s really amazing, but I have to ask, where’s the largest one? ---
**Author:** ![mhendo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mhendo/32/3159_2.png) [@mhendo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mhendo)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2009, 4:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kuroshio-sea-tank-at-okinawa-aquarium-amazing-stuff/503669/6 "2009-07-21T16:36:58Z")
Well, the largest aquarium in the world is the Georgia Aquarium, in Atlanta. But i’m not sure if it also has the largest single tank. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2009, 4:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kuroshio-sea-tank-at-okinawa-aquarium-amazing-stuff/503669/7 "2009-07-21T16:51:10Z")
Obviously, the largest aquarium tank in the world is in Monterey, California. And in Tampa, Florida. And in Sidney, Australia, and Vladivostok, Russia, and Singapore. And every other coastal city in the world. ---
**Author:** ![mhendo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mhendo/32/3159_2.png) [@mhendo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mhendo)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2009, 4:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kuroshio-sea-tank-at-okinawa-aquarium-amazing-stuff/503669/8 "2009-07-21T16:56:47Z")
> [@Chronos](#): > > Obviously, the largest aquarium tank in the world is in Monterey, California. And in Tampa, Florida. And in Sidney, Australia, and Vladivostok, Russia, and Singapore. And every other coastal city in the world. Huh? I’m not quite sure what you’re getting at here. Is it the fact that some of the aquariums have tanks directly fed by the sea? If so, that’s a pretty silly argument. Anyway, the Monterey Aquarium’s largest tank is about 1 million gallons, which is about half the size of the Kuroshio Sea tank. And it’s spelled Sydney. ---
**Author:** ![Rhythmdvl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/85f322/32.png) [@Rhythmdvl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rhythmdvl)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2009, 6:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kuroshio-sea-tank-at-okinawa-aquarium-amazing-stuff/503669/9 "2009-07-21T18:47:07Z")
One of my favorite spots in the world is in the Capetown, South Africa aquarium. They have a kelp tank that, while dwarfed by the OP, is pretty impressive nonetheless. You could bring a turrets-plagued Tasmanian devil in the middle of a manic episode and it would mellow out in about two seconds. Breathtaking. None of the videos I found on YouTube were worth linking to. ETA: I thought Chronos was making a joke about coastal cities \*claiming \*to have the largest aquarium. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2009, 8:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kuroshio-sea-tank-at-okinawa-aquarium-amazing-stuff/503669/10 "2009-07-21T20:39:06Z")
OK, that one fell flat. I was referring to the ocean itself. ---
**Author:** ![Sunspace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sunspace/32/1250_2.png) [@Sunspace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sunspace)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2009, 8:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kuroshio-sea-tank-at-okinawa-aquarium-amazing-stuff/503669/11 "2009-07-21T20:43:18Z")
Wow. We need an aquarium in my city. ---
**Author:** ![mhendo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mhendo/32/3159_2.png) [@mhendo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mhendo)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2009, 8:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kuroshio-sea-tank-at-okinawa-aquarium-amazing-stuff/503669/12 "2009-07-21T20:46:22Z")
> [@Chronos](#): > > OK, that one fell flat. I was referring to the ocean itself. I get it now. Is that what passes for ocean humor in Bozeman? 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Olentzero](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/90ced4/32.png) [@Olentzero](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Olentzero)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2009, 9:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kuroshio-sea-tank-at-okinawa-aquarium-amazing-stuff/503669/13 "2009-07-21T21:33:36Z")
They have fucking _whale sharks_ in there. Holy God. That is so friggin’ cool. ---
**Author:** ![Caldazar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/8e8cbc/32.png) [@Caldazar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Caldazar)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2009, 9:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kuroshio-sea-tank-at-okinawa-aquarium-amazing-stuff/503669/14 "2009-07-21T21:50:18Z")
> [@mhendo](#): > > Well, the largest aquarium in the world is the Georgia Aquarium, in Atlanta. But i’m not sure if it also has the largest single tank. According to the Georgia Aquarium website, the [Ocean Voyager](http://www.georgiaaquarium.org/exploreTheAquarium/oceanVoyager.aspx) exhibit holds over 6 million gallons of water. ---
**Author:** ![cckerberos](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f0a364/32.png) [@cckerberos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cckerberos)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2009, 9:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kuroshio-sea-tank-at-okinawa-aquarium-amazing-stuff/503669/15 "2009-07-21T21:57:37Z")
It’s a very nice aquarium, located next to a pretty nice beach. Kind of a pain to get to, though. The video in the OP doesn’t really do the tank justice. It’s really long, with theater-like seating around it so you can really take your time watching. ---
**Author:** ![Rushgeekgirl](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rushgeekgirl/32/3715_2.png) [@Rushgeekgirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rushgeekgirl)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2009, 12:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kuroshio-sea-tank-at-okinawa-aquarium-amazing-stuff/503669/16 "2009-07-22T00:13:15Z")
That was just beautiful and I loved the music. ---
**Author:** ![Meurglys](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/258eb7/32.png) [@Meurglys](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Meurglys)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2009, 12:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kuroshio-sea-tank-at-okinawa-aquarium-amazing-stuff/503669/17 "2009-07-22T12:40:03Z")
> [@Chronos](#): > > OK, that one fell flat. I was referring to the ocean itself. I got it, I just didn’t have time to say so… not that it answered my question, really! So, thanks, everybody else! 😉 The local [aquarium](http://www.deepseaworld.com/attractions/underwater_tunnel.asp?css=1) [here](http://www.flickr.com/photos/8810398@N04/1116581138/) looks like toytown compared to these big ones, even though it holds a million gallons, apparently… ---
**Author:** ![lieu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c2a13f/32.png) [@lieu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lieu)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2009, 12:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kuroshio-sea-tank-at-okinawa-aquarium-amazing-stuff/503669/18 "2009-07-22T12:53:58Z")
> [@Chronos](#): > > OK, that one fell flat. I was referring to the ocean itself. I got it, but mainly because I’ve travelled to Bozeman a number of times to see the world’s largest zoo. Cool video, **mhendo**. Meccaquarium indeed. ---
**Author:** ![Ale](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/f19dbf/32.png) [@Ale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ale)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2009, 3:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kuroshio-sea-tank-at-okinawa-aquarium-amazing-stuff/503669/19 "2009-07-22T15:00:22Z")
Holy sea cow, that’s one big fish bowl right there. I’m not sure about the (at least) three whale sharks though, I don’t think that aquarium serves as a breeding station so while it’s good that people get a chance to see them perhaps it would be better to have left them in the wild or at least just get a single specimen. As far as I know nobody knows how many whale sharks are in the oceans, but they are elusive. I saw a small one (between 4 and 5 meters) in a dive in the Andaman sea, a diver later told me it was the first one he had seen in 10 years and 200 dives. By the way, what’s up with that diver shuffling around the bottom like that??? ---
**Author:** ![Renee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/renee/32/287_2.png) [@Renee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Renee)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2009, 3:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kuroshio-sea-tank-at-okinawa-aquarium-amazing-stuff/503669/20 "2009-07-22T15:08:33Z")
We live on Okinawa. The aquarium is awesome, and in fact, the Churaumi aquarium as a whole is really amazing. They have some reef tanks that are just beautiful, and have live coral in them. I believe they are ocean fed. [Here are some more pictures if anyone is interested.](http://picasaweb.google.com/raenjapan/OkinawaChuraumiAquarium#) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kuroshio-sea-tank-at-okinawa-aquarium-amazing-stuff/503669.md?page=2)