Nagasaki Penguin Aquarium
When people think of Nagasaki, they might think of the war. They might think of the Nagasaki Peace Park, commemorating the 1945 atomic bombing, and of the Nagasaki Genbaku Shiryōkan, the atomic bomb museum. Or perhaps they think of Gunkanjima, the abandoned "Battleship Island" where coal miners once lived and worked. They could think of Nagasaki's Chinatown, or the Meganebashi bridge, or the former Dutch trading port, Dejima.
Most people don't think of penguins.
Nestled in a penguin shaped cove on Tachibana Bay, the Nagasaki Penguin Aquarium is a 30 minute bus ride from JR Nagasaki station. A short nature trail leads from the bus stop to the aquarium, lined with wooden penguin placards to show the way. There's no doubt when you arrive; the building is festooned with posters and statues and banners. This is not just any aquarium-- this is an all penguins, no waiting.
The giant dive pool stands just past the ticket gates, its glass wall stretching up and out of sight. The subantarctic penguins can be found here: King, Gentoo, Chinstrap, Macaroni and Rockhopper. At feeding time, the water teems with penguins, swirling and diving and cavorting, but when I visited the water was calm. Four species of temperate penguins-- African, Humboldt, Magellanic and Little-- can also be found throughout the aquarium, their spacious habitats spanning multiple floors.
Despite their name, the Nagasaki Penguin Aquarium showcases other sea life as well, including fish and sea creatures endemic to the Nagasaki region. However, penguins are truly the star of this institution, which also includes a Penguin Information Room with charts, models and interactive exhibits. Another unique room is the Penguin Goods Gallery, which showcases a huge variety of penguin themed art, toys and household goods. But the standout attraction at the Nagasaki Penguin Aquarium has to be the beach.
It is my dream to someday see wild penguins waddling and swimming in their natural habitat. The Nature Zone at the Penguin Aquarium is the next best thing. A large crowd of equally excited kids and adults gathered to watch a group of Humboldt penguins waddle from their enclosure onto the beach, their webbed flippers leaving footprints in the sand. Like toddlers, the penguins dawdled at first, easily distracted by flowers or passing insects, but as they neared the shore the birds became focused. Though awkward on land, the penguin streamed into the water as if they were part of it. They leapt, and dove, and spun, and swam out into Tachibana Bay until their little black heads could barely be seen bobbing in the waves. A few penguins remained on the shore, feet sunk into the damp sand, the ocean breeze ruffling their feathers, and I was right there, mere feet away, snapping photos with only a single rope between us. I could have reached out and touched them, though that would have probably brought a stern reprimand from the aquarium worker standing nearby. Luckily, I visited during the New Year's holidays, and "Humboldt Penguin Touching" was scheduled for later that day.
Many of the exciting activities offered that day-- penguin feeding, penguin touching, behind-the-scenes tours-- are available every weekend and holiday at the aquarium, but there was one special event that was exclusive to New Years. Just outside aquarium, before you get to the penguin beach, is a large rectangle of dirt with a white chalk border where penguin parades are usually held. That day, for New Years, there stood a blue ramp draped with red and white striped fabric, with a red wooden gate at the center. In the middle of the torii, the traditional Shinto shrine gate, was a wooden King penguin placard. As the crowd watched in delight, a crew of penguins (two Gentoos and four Kings) waddled slowly onto the field. At the announcer's cue, the audience began to clap, and slowly the penguins marched up the ramp and through the torii gate. Traditionally, people in Japan flock to Shinto shrines on the first few days of the New Year; the first visit of the year is called Hatsumode. These penguins certainly fulfilled their duty!
Other New Years surprises were to be found that day-- lotteries, limited edition treats, and even the ubiquitous fukubukuro, or "lucky bag". Having filled my heart and my camera with penguins, I snagged a 2000 yen lucky bag from the gift store. The bag was made of thick red paper, stapled at the top, and I resisted the urge to peek inside on my hour bus ride back to the hostel. Once there I unpacked an unexpected assortment of goods-- stationery, a silicon mug lid, reusable shopping bags, a deep sea themed whiteboard, a stuffed penguin in an otter hat, and a hilarious plush submarine piloted by a walrus, a polar bear and a penguin. You never quite know what you're going to get with a lucky bag, but I was quite pleased with my purchase.
As I write this blog in December of 2020, the world is currently in the midst of a pandemic. Travel is limited, and most places have scaled down and cancelled their holiday celebrations -- including the Nagasaki Penguin Aquarium. As I fondly look back on my memories of this visit, I encourage any penguin lover to put the Nagasaki Penguin Aquarium on their must-see list for when we're able to travel again. From all of us at Nooks and Penguins (which is to say, myself and a bunch of stuffed penguins), I hope you have a Happy New Year!