Visiting Unique Venues in Tokyo! Sunshine Aquarium
A night at the aquarium, relaxing with a beer in hand while admiring the aesthetic beauty of swimming fish... a party too good to be true!
This time around, we visited one of Tokyo’s landmark spots located in Ikebukuro: Sunshine Aquarium.
Sunshine City itself is a multi-use shopping complex made up of 5 large buildings, inclusive of shopping centers and amusement facilities, a hotel and an adjoining convention area able to hold various seminars and exhibitions, large or small.
On the roof of the Sunshine City building is Sunshine Aquarium, opened in October of 1978, where it soon became loved by many as the city’s aquarium.
In July 2017, one section of the outdoor area of Sunshine Aquarium was renewed with a concept of an “Oasis in the Sky,” where a pelican’s graceful walking figure and penguins “flying” across the sky can be seen overhead.
We were kindly guided into the building by Sunshine City’s PR representative, Ms. Narumi.
Due to the building’s recent renewal, it was extremely popular and crowded regardless of it being a weekday.
Besides the indoor water tank on the 10th and 11th floors, in the outdoor space, penguins, pelicans, and sea lions can be seen overhead.
Parties can be held from November through March, after the aquarium’s closing times from 7:00PM to 9:00PM.
The indoor area of the facility may be reserved, with a maximum of 150 guests for a stand-up buffet-style meal.
Mr. Takahashi, the aquarium’s events coordinator, informed us, “During the winter, since the outdoor area is dark and cold, the animals tend to be sleeping.”
“Welcome drinks are prepared at the entrance of the indoor area of the 10th and 11th floors, so that guests can enjoy the view with a drink in hand. Usually, food and drinks are not permitted inside the building, so only during the night may guests have this special experience.”
Besides a projector and screen, microphones and background music may also be utilized.
“If requested, guests can be greeted by penguins, have an underwater performance by the divers, or even a backyard tour,” Mr. Takahashi added.
We even heard of a public proposal event where a diver held a message board with a proposal message written on it and made a surprise appearance underwater.
“We would like people to make use of the aquarium and its image through various events.”
Since there are numerous large and small conference rooms and exhibition halls in Sunshine City, a special get-together at the aquarium can also be scheduled after a daytime seminar.
For instance, in the “Sunshine City Conference Room” on the 5th floor of the same building of the aquarium, there are 15 conference rooms, with a possibility to hold a seminar with a scope of 800 attendees on one floor. Additionally, there are 4 exhibition halls available to design a wide-range of events according to one’s needs.
Another big point is the adjoined Sunshine City Prince Hotel, which is conveniently connected so that visitors may move about regardless of weather abnormalities. A large-scale bus terminal is serviced by shuttle buses heading to Narita Airport and Haneda Airport, making it an extremely convenient location for overseas visitors staying in Shinjuku. At the moment, the aquarium is even strengthening assistance in English, Chinese, and Korean for guests.
Mr. Takahashi said that, presently, corporate-use makes up a large amount, especially in November and December where reservations are being filled with Christmas parties, year-end parties, and New Year’s parties. Reservations can be made for up to 6 months in advance, so, in case of consideration, hurry and contact them soon!
---------- For more information, please click here for Sunshine Aquarium's English Website.
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