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Wednesday, 27th January 2016
In Japan Entertainment News,
Aquarium on track to reopen after being destroyed by tsunami
An aquarium that was destroyed by a tsunami in 2011 and is due to reopen in April is on track with its rebuilding process.
Moguranpia was the first underground aquarium to be created in Japan when it opened to the public in 1994.
It was constructed out of an old oil storage base tunnel in Kuji in Iwate Prefecture, but its coastal location made it vulnerable.
When an earthquake and subsequent tsunami hit, the facility was destroyed and almost all of the sea creatures housed within died.
One green turtle survived and has been kept in an aquarium in Aomori Prefecture, but will be returned home once the new Moguranpia is complete.
It will be joined by 3,000 other sea animals across 200 species to reinvigorate the attraction and start welcoming visitors once more.
The money to rebuild Moguanpia has come from central government and means that admission charges will not need to be raised upon reopening.
It will still cost 700 yen (£4) for adults to visit and 300 yen (£1.75) for children, with the hope that visitor numbers will be high in the first year.
Soichiro Nakano, a Kuji municipal government official in charge of tourism, told the Japan Times: “We hope all the people around the nation who supported us will come and visit the aquarium.
“We are planning to display local fish species of the Sanriku region in the new tank.”
In the interim period since the devastating tsunami, a small aquarium has been functioning near to JR Kuji Station.
This has been possible through kind donations of fish from other aquaria throughout Japan.
Related news stories:
Japanese aquariums make ethical decision to stop buying Taiji dolphins (21st May 2015)
Jellyfish attraction reopens (5th June 2014)
Tokyo penguin escapes from aquarium (5th March 2012)
Aquarium lights up with festive spirit (2nd December 2010)
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