Pop Japan

The Okinawa Churaumi Aquarium is one of Japan's largest aquariums, and probably second in the world. Located at the Ocean Expo Park in the Okinawa Prefecture, the place has been housing a variety of marine species since its opening on November 1, 2002.

The Churaumi Aquarium was actually established to revive Okinawa's tourism industry and was thus side by side other nature parks such as the botanical gardens and beach areas in the prefecture. The place was designed by Yukifusa Kokuba,

The name, Churaumi, was actually mandated through public vote. It came from two Japanese words. The first word is "chura," which means beautiful or graceful. The second word is "umi" or ocean in Japanese.

Tags: Japan, Okinawa Churaumi Aquarium, Okinawa, Japanese aquarium, ocean expo park, okinawa prefecture, tourism industry, yukifusa kokuba, chura, umi, beautiful, graceful, ocean