Kaikyokan

Kaikyokan in Shimonoseki is built around the city's most famous resident, the pufferfish, known locally as fugu. The aquarium holds one of the largest collections of pufferfish species in the world, displayed in tanks that let you observe their odd buoyancy and varied sizes up close. A walk-through tunnel tank lets sharks and rays pass overhead, and the building includes a penguin enclosure and a dolphin performance pool. Shimonoseki is also the place to eat fugu legally prepared by certified chefs, and the Karato Market nearby is where the fish is auctioned each morning. The aquarium and the market work well together as a half-day combination.