Okinawa Churaumi Aquarium hosts Hoya Boya event on 5 December

Okinawa Churaumi Aquarium will host the Hoya Boya National Stage Caravan in Motobu, Japan, on 5 and 6 December 2026. The event will connect the aquarium with Kesennuma City and the Kesennuma Shark Museum through displays, films and a public stage programme.

The aquarium announced the programme on 5 November 2026. It gives visitors a current reason to include the venue in a western Japan itinerary during the first weekend of December.

Hoya Boya programme runs on 5 and 6 December

The event is co-organised by the aquarium and Kesennuma City. Its focus is the relationship between the two coastal regions, their marine cultures and their continuing cooperation on shark research and educational activities. The official event announcement sets the dates as 5 and 6 December 2026.

The stage programme is planned for the fourth-floor Uminchu Gate. Aquarium explainers will introduce animals linked to Hoya Boya, followed by dance activities, a rock-paper-scissors contest and supported photographs with the character. Sessions are listed for 10am to 11am and 2pm to 3pm on both days.

A film screening and panel display will occupy the fourth-floor event hall from 9am to 5pm. The material will present Kesennuma, its shark-related work and the connection between the city, the Kesennuma Shark Museum and the aquarium. Visitors are also promised a character-themed photo spot and a commemorative trading card.

Motobu aquarium brings two marine regions together

The event uses the aquarium as more than a backdrop. Its content links Kesennuma's shark culture with the venue's own research and conservation work, giving the two-day programme a clear relationship with the marine subjects displayed inside.

The facility forms part of Ocean Expo Park in Motobu, on Okinawa. It reopened in November 2002 after the earlier aquarium was closed for deterioration. The national tourism guide identifies the site as part of the park and places it on the Motobu Peninsula.

The central Kuroshio Sea tank holds 7,500m3 of water and displays whale sharks, manta rays and other migratory marine life. That scale helps explain why the Hoya Boya programme's shark theme fits the venue: the special event brings a regional shark story into a building whose main route moves from coral reefs towards the open sea and the deep ocean.

Visiting Okinawa Churaumi Aquarium: what travellers from Western Europe should know

• The Hoya Boya National Stage Caravan takes place on 5 and 6 December 2026 at the fourth-floor Uminchu Gate and event hall.
• The stage sessions and panel display are planned inside the aquarium's fourth-floor areas, while the aquarium's regular marine exhibits remain the main attraction for the visit.
• The venue is at 424 Ishikawa in Motobu, Okinawa Prefecture, within Ocean Expo Park.
• The aquarium is a four-storey building, and its route leads from coral reef displays towards the Kuroshio Sea and deep-sea areas.
• Japan's official language is Japanese and its currency is the yen.
• Entry requirements depend on your nationality; UK travellers can check the FCDO travel advice at gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice, Irish travellers the Department of Foreign Affairs at ireland.ie.

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Frequently asked questions about Okinawa Churaumi Aquarium

When does the Hoya Boya National Stage Caravan take place?

It runs on 5 and 6 December 2026 at Okinawa Churaumi Aquarium in Motobu. The stage programme is scheduled for the fourth-floor Uminchu Gate.

What is Okinawa Churaumi Aquarium?

It is a public aquarium in Ocean Expo Park that reopened in 2002. Its Kuroshio Sea tank holds 7,500m3 of water.

Where is Okinawa Churaumi Aquarium and how do you get there?

The aquarium is at 424 Ishikawa, Motobu, Okinawa Prefecture, on the Motobu Peninsula. It forms part of Ocean Expo Park in Japan.