Japan always tops the list as one of my favourite countries to visit as it has never ceased to wow me with their rich culture, exquisite natural landscapes and cutting-edge innovation. From ubiquitous vending machines to quirky cafes and futuristic skyscrapers to complex yet efficient railway systems, the land of the rising sun has an endless list of things to explore.
Other than the popular Tennoji zoo and Universal Studios families with kids usually flock to, there is one lesser known attraction that is deemed to be the crown jewel in Osaka called Nifrel.
Nifrel is a one of a kind attraction with a unique mix of aquarium, zoo and museum all rolled into one. My boys’ faces lit up with shrieks of delight when they were told animals can just roam freely inside the museum with no fence and they could see them up close. The entire aquazoo is visually stunning, designed with futuristic and artistic elements. From a distance, one will be mesmerised by the modern architectural design of the building. My kids were awe-struck by what they saw when we arrived there.
Nifrel comprises mainly of seven zones to explore – Colours, Abilities, Shapes and Wonder Moments, Waterside, Behaviour and Biodiversity.
The first stop is Colour Zone and we were instantly spellbound by the magical surrounding, which was glowing with soft and radiant colours. It showcases vivid colours of fish, shrimps and anemones in their crystal clear tanks. The feeling was surreal and had a calming effect on us as we walked around the exhibits. Enchanting indeed!
Abilities is the next interesting zone we explored. In this area, we found unique marine creatures spouting water, burying themselves in the sand with their camouflage skills and changing their body colours to blend into their environment.
Built in the centre of the zone is a specially designed tank that showcases how an archerfish can skilfully spit a stream of water to shoot down their prey on the surface. In another tank, we witnessed with wonderment how the staff played and communicated with the majestic Humphead Wrasse while feeding it with aplomb.
The next zone, Shapes, houses a variety of marine creatures in the custom tanks, illuminated under a stretch of dotting lights. A fascinating sight to behold.
The last stop at level one before connecting to level two is the Wonder Moments Zone, created by artist Takahiro Matsuo. Projected onto a giant globe, the multimedia display will transport you to experience the mysterious outer space and every kid will be drawn to the 10 minutes entertaining show.
Climbing up to level 2 where the Waterside zone sprang a huge surprise on everyone. Our eyes almost popped out when we saw a white tiger prowling behind the glass enclosure. Rubbing our eyes in disbelief, we took a closer look to confirm our findings. It was the real deal! Overwhelmed with excitement, we snapped pictures of the beautiful tiger strutting around like a supermodel and getting ready to pounce on its food hanging on a stick. A magnificent spectacle! We were unbelievably thrilled to find a white tiger in an indoor area. Everyone likes good surprises, right?
There are also saltwater crocodiles and pygmy hippopotamus relaxing in the waterside region but the white tiger had naturally stolen the limelight.
An interesting finding my kids discovered at the waterside was the ‘Eating Water’ booth next to the cafe. Burnt with curiosity, they followed the instructions on the cover and tried to chew on the ball of water which they exclaimed, “tasteless leh, just like jelly.” They were not impressed.
We proceeded to the next Behavior zone, an animals’ playground where one can get close to the critters and birds roaming around the area. This is very popular with kids as the animals are just separated from the people by a little running stream but some active and playful ones will cross over to our walkway and interact with the visitors. Animals such as ring-tailed lemurs, otters, capybaras, pelican, African penguins and even a cute little baby owl could be seen snuggling cosily there.
The final stop before leaving Nifrel will be the Biodiversity zone, where visitors can enjoy an educational video on a huge screen based on the theme of “Being the same”, “Being different”, and “Being interactive between them”.
At the end of the visit, we unanimously gave a five stars rating for this interactive aquazoo, that let us wander into the wildlife in an extraordinary way. The overall experience at Nifrel was remarkably amazing and this family-friendly attraction is a must visit in Osaka.
Address:
Expocity, 2-1 Senri-Banpakukoen, Suita-shi, 565-0826, Osaka
Nearest Transport:
Monorail: 2-minute walk from Bampaku-kinen-koen Station on the Osaka Monorail Main and Saito Lines.
Opening hours:
10am-8pm (last entry 7pm)
Admission:
Adults: ¥1900
Junior high and elementary school students: ¥1000
3 years old and over: ¥600
