Largest Museum of Taxidermy Fish

The next best thing to diving

Sherilyn Siy Oct 25, 2018 - 1 min read

A 2.8 meter long mambo greets you at the entrance

Located in a renovated sake brewery, listed in Tottori's Top 100 Most Beloved Buildings.

Children's art inspired by a museum visit. Jellyfish painted by a 10-year old.

Japanese spider crab has the world's longest leg span (up to 5.5 meters from claw to claw).

Intricately detailed model ships on display.

If you are not a diver but would love to see what incredible biodiversity the ocean hides, a visit to Japan's largest fish specimen museum (海とくらしの史料館) in Sakaiminato City, Tottori, is probably the next best thing. Approximately 4,000 specimens representing about 700 species of marine life are housed in this renovated sake brewery, listed in Tottori Prefecture's "Top 100 Most Beloved Builings." Hundreds of specimens are displayed behind glass but the impressively huge ones are artifully displayed to simulate how the fish might be swimming underwater. At the center of the museum is a real fishing boat, the Minatomaru. Aside from taxidermy fish, the museum has permanent exhibits on "old Japanese life" -- equipment and tools used by Japanese in their daily life in days of yore.

The museum is a 20 minute walk from Sakaiminato Station, or an 8-minute walk from the Hama Loop bus stop. Parking spaces are available free.

Sherilyn Siy @sherilyn.siy

For Sherilyn Siy, Asia is home. Born in Hong Kong, Sherilyn spent time in the Philippines, China, and now lives in Japan. She speaks English, Filipino, Chinese (or putonghua), and Hokkien, her family's local dialect. Running is one of her favorite ways to explore Japan. She proudly finished the 2...