Marinepia, Niigata City Aquarium

Marinepia is the Niigata City Aquarium and a very popular day out with families. Fish and trains seem to be guaranteed crowd pleasers in this neck of the woods. Marinepia is right on the beach and is home to an amazing collection of fish from all around the world. You start off with smaller fish in tanks along the walls. Each one has a picture and name displayed alongside. The names are all in English too and there are plenty I'd never heard of - weird and wonderful fish from every sea and ocean. As you get further into the building the tanks get bigger and at one point you are in a tunnel with rays, sharks and shoals of little fish overhead and all around. Move outside and there is an hourly dolphin show, seals, sea lions and penguins (which you can smell long before you can see.) There are also a couple of beavers and some otters. You can pick up star fish and anemones should you be so inclined, and there is also an activity zone. Lots and lots of happy people running around full of excitement. The kids we were with had a whale of a time.