You see them in random places. Last time I saw one in Atagawa Banana and Crocodile park (in the plant section, not crocodile section). Pretty sure that some zoos or aquariums in Tokyo will have them too. Maybe even Inokashira zoo.
Have a look at the Akame 48 waterfalls in Mie, there are a few water tanks at the entrance with giant salamanders.
Kyoto Aquarium!
/r/JapanTravel, but saying where you are will help. There’s many at zoos and aquariums across Japan.
Second vote for akame 48 falls
If you like camping or heritage house stays – Ikuno in Asago during spring/summer is a great place to (maybe) see them in the wild – particularly near the dam. Even have cute merch! There’s also a couple of great guys who run bicycle tours in the area – Asago Cycling Tours. Beautiful landscapes
Here is a list of aquariums in Japan that have Japanese Giant Salamanders:
As other have said, they have them at Akame falls but the tanks are so tiny the poor things can’t even move. It was really depressing actually.
There was a wild one walking around the Kyoto Botanical Garden the other day
I saw one once in the Kamo River in Kyoto. Maybe you’ll get lucky.
At Kinosaki Marine World in Toyooka there are a few giant salamanders right as you enter. It’s also quite a big facility and there’s a lot of cool stuff to see, plus a pretty view of the sea where you can soak your feet. Kinosaki Onsen is also close by which is a very nice (albeit kind of bougie) area.
The tanks both in Akame and Kyoto aquarium are so small. So I don’t think it’s the best experience to see them. Seeing them in the wild must be so cool. In Kyoto there’s a snorkeling tour for only 8k yen, but I think they don’t accept foreigners 🙁 I’m gonna go ask in person this weekend at the Kansai fest and update on the situation. Might even beg them to let me participate hah
Kyoto zoo has one. Kyoto is a fun little zoo in great area I highly recommend it.
I saw one in the Kamogawa in Kyoto. Just walk north from Demachiyanagi and you might get lucky. Outdoors is free! Aquariums are not free.
Atagawa tropical gardens in Shizuoka has one.
There’s one in the creek next to the path leading up to Minoo Falls. It’s in the wild, so it’s not guaranteed you’ll see it.
Really recommend Kyoto aquarium. They have a whole area dedicated to them.
I personally don’t feel that behavior bothers me a lot. When I’m in a hurry, I would keep climbing up while saying “sumimasen,” and they all give in. But man, I completely understand your feeling of being upset by someone.
The Akame 48 is my vote too. Salamanders AND a really really fun hike 🙂
Aquatotto in Gifu has a giant salamander and is great! It’s an aquarium focusing on river environments, half is dedicated to recreating different habitats from the Nagara River and half is the Amazon and Mekong rivers. It’s affiliated with a prefectural research institute, so compared to the other aquariums I have been to in Japan, the animals were very well-cared for.
I don’t know where you are located, but I saw giant salamanders at Ueno Zoo in Tokyo a few years ago.
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You see them in random places. Last time I saw one in Atagawa Banana and Crocodile park (in the plant section, not crocodile section). Pretty sure that some zoos or aquariums in Tokyo will have them too. Maybe even Inokashira zoo.
Have a look at the Akame 48 waterfalls in Mie, there are a few water tanks at the entrance with giant salamanders.
Kyoto Aquarium!
/r/JapanTravel, but saying where you are will help. There’s many at zoos and aquariums across Japan.
Second vote for akame 48 falls
If you like camping or heritage house stays – Ikuno in Asago during spring/summer is a great place to (maybe) see them in the wild – particularly near the dam. Even have cute merch!
There’s also a couple of great guys who run bicycle tours in the area – Asago Cycling Tours. Beautiful landscapes
Here is a list of aquariums in Japan that have Japanese Giant Salamanders:
https://www-ariescom-jp.translate.goog/entry/2019/01/10/201350?_x_tr_sl=ja&_x_tr_tl=en&_x_tr_hl=en&_x_tr_pto=wapp
As other have said, they have them at Akame falls but the tanks are so tiny the poor things can’t even move. It was really depressing actually.
There was a wild one walking around the Kyoto Botanical Garden the other day
I saw one once in the Kamo River in Kyoto. Maybe you’ll get lucky.
At Kinosaki Marine World in Toyooka there are a few giant salamanders right as you enter. It’s also quite a big facility and there’s a lot of cool stuff to see, plus a pretty view of the sea where you can soak your feet. Kinosaki Onsen is also close by which is a very nice (albeit kind of bougie) area.
The tanks both in Akame and Kyoto aquarium are so small. So I don’t think it’s the best experience to see them. Seeing them in the wild must be so cool. In Kyoto there’s a snorkeling tour for only 8k yen, but I think they don’t accept foreigners 🙁 I’m gonna go ask in person this weekend at the Kansai fest and update on the situation. Might even beg them to let me participate hah
Kyoto zoo has one. Kyoto is a fun little zoo in great area I highly recommend it.
I saw one in the Kamogawa in Kyoto. Just walk north from Demachiyanagi and you might get lucky. Outdoors is free! Aquariums are not free.
Atagawa tropical gardens in Shizuoka has one.
There’s one in the creek next to the path leading up to Minoo Falls. It’s in the wild, so it’s not guaranteed you’ll see it.
Really recommend Kyoto aquarium. They have a whole area dedicated to them.
I personally don’t feel that behavior bothers me a lot. When I’m in a hurry, I would keep climbing up while saying “sumimasen,” and they all give in. But man, I completely understand your feeling of being upset by someone.
The Akame 48 is my vote too. Salamanders AND a really really fun hike 🙂
Aquatotto in Gifu has a giant salamander and is great! It’s an aquarium focusing on river environments, half is dedicated to recreating different habitats from the Nagara River and half is the Amazon and Mekong rivers. It’s affiliated with a prefectural research institute, so compared to the other aquariums I have been to in Japan, the animals were very well-cared for.
I don’t know where you are located, but I saw giant salamanders at Ueno Zoo in Tokyo a few years ago.