Celebrating 3rd Anniversary! Aquarium Launches Night Event 'Great Evolution! AOAO SAPPORO Summer Night Festival 8DAYS' Starting July 18

AOAO SAPPORO, an aquarium located in central Sapporo (Address: Chuo Ward, Sapporo City, Hokkaido; Director: Masaki Yamauchi), will host the event 'Great Evolution! AOAO SAPPORO Summer Night Festival 8DAYS' starting Saturday, July 18, 2026.

[Left: Visitors enjoying the aquarium in yukata; Top right: PMF's 'Blue Night Classical' concept image; Bottom right: Children observing penguins]

AOAO SAPPORO will celebrate its 3rd anniversary on Monday, July 20, 2026 (a national holiday). The aquarium aims to be a 'city-center aquarium' where visitors can not only discover new wonders through observing marine life but also experience Sapporo's local culture, including food and art. For the past three years, it has operated until 10 PM daily, actively promoting the concept of 'happy late nights' and the unique charm of night-time aquarium visits.

During the 'Great Evolution! AOAO SAPPORO Summer Night Festival 8DAYS,' the aquarium will present a special 3rd-anniversary edition of its signature night program, 'AQUARIUM JAM,' where the aquarium collaborates with diverse cultural fields. Additionally, a special campaign will offer discounts to visitors who come dressed in yukata during night hours.

The 8-day consecutive 'AQUARIUM JAM' program will feature beautiful performances by Academy students from 'PMF2026,' food-themed talk events, and night museum tours personally guided by the aquarium's director.

The 'Yukata Night Aquarium' campaign offers special benefits: visitors wearing yukata can enjoy summer-limited drinks and beer at 'Shirokuma Bakery &,' located on the 6th-floor panbar, for just 100 yen after 5 PM. Furthermore, on July 24 (Friday) and 25 (Saturday), children (junior high school age and under) wearing yukata can participate for free in a hands-on craft program to create fans inspired by fish tail fins.

Let’s stay up late at the aquarium! 'Great Evolution! AOAO SAPPORO Summer Night Festival 8DAYS'

[Experience Program] Celebrating the 3rd Anniversary! AQUARIUM JAM 8DAYS

Event Period: July 18 (Sat) – July 25 (Sat), 2026

[AQUARIUM JAM Concept]

DAY1: [Aquarium × Classical Music] PMF Blue Night Classical – PMF2026 –

Date & Time: July 18, 2026 (Sat) 5:00 PM – / 7:00 PM – Performers: PMF (Pacific Music Festival Sapporo) Academy Students Event Details: https://aoao-sapporo.blue/pick-up/40644/

DAY2: [Aquarium × Gourmet] Delicious Summer at the Aquarium

Day Session: Sapporo City Chocolate Table Date & Time: July 19, 2026 (Sun) 2:25 PM – Featured: Hiroshima Nozomu, Pastry Chef from SOIL CHOCOLATE

Evening Session: Summer Tipsy Girls’ Gathering @7:00 PM Date & Time: July 19, 2026 (Sun) 6:55 PM – Featured: Hikaru Goto from HOURS BEER

DAY3: [Aquarium × Morihiko] Nature Aquarium Tea Room ~3Q Day~

Date & Time: July 20, 2026 (Mon, Holiday) 10:00 AM – 10:00 PM (Last Entry ~9:00 PM) *Sweet sales until 8:00 PM Details: https://aoao-sapporo.blue/all/40624/

DAY4: [Aquarium × Wine] Summer Wine Cruise

Date & Time: July 21, 2026 (Tue) 6:55 PM – Featured: Saori Abe, Representative Director of Interlink Japan Co., Ltd. Event Details: https://peatix.com/event/5085177

DAY5: [Aquarium × Secrets] The Secrets of AOAO SAPPORO

Date & Time: July 22, 2026 (Wed) 6:55 PM – Featured: AOAO SAPPORO Director and Staff

DAY6: [Aquarium × Dinosaurs] New Exhibit! Birds, Lizards, and Dinosaurs Tour

Date & Time: July 23, 2026 (Thu) 6:55 PM – Featured: AOAO SAPPORO Staff

DAY7: [Aquarium × Secrets] Night AOAO SAPPORO Director Tour

Date & Time: July 24, 2026 (Fri) 7:00 PM – Featured: AOAO SAPPORO Director and Staff

DAY8: [Aquarium × Fins] New Exhibit! Hi-Re! Hi-Re! Tour

Date & Time: July 25, 2026 (Sat) 1:30 PM / 3:30 PM / 5:30 PM / 7:00 PM Featured: AOAO SAPPORO Fins Researcher

[Campaign] Two Special Campaigns! 'Yukata Night Aquarium'

Event Details: Visitors wearing yukata can participate in the following two campaigns. *One redemption per person per day for yukata-wearing visitors.

① At the aquarium’s 6th-floor panbar 'Shirokuma Bakery &,' beer (Sapporo Classic) and two 3rd-anniversary summer-limited drinks — 'Crunchy AOAO Cream Soda' and 'Crunchy Mango Milk' — will be available for 100 yen. Event Period: July 18 (Sat) – July 25 (Sat), 2026 Hours: 5:00 PM – 10:00 PM (Last Order ~9:30 PM) Location: 6F 'Shirokuma Bakery &'

[3rd Anniversary Summer-Limited 'Crunchy' Drinks]

② The craft aquarium program, normally ending at 4:00 PM, will be extended until 10:00 PM for two days only. Additionally, the craft experience program 'Flap Flap! Make a Fin Fan' — where visitors create fans inspired by fish tail fins — will be free for children (junior high school age and under) wearing yukata (normally 300 yen). Event Period: July 24 (Fri) and 25 (Sat), 2026 Hours: 11:00 AM – 10:00 PM (Last Registration: 9:30 PM) Location: 5F 'CO-WORKING AQUARIUM'

[Flap Flap! Fin Fan Concept]

AOAO SAPPORO's 'Great Evolution' on its 3rd Anniversary

Starting Friday, July 24, 2026, three new exhibits will launch. Designed as an edutainment zone where visitors of all ages can experience the evolution of life, these exhibits will be both fun and educational. Additionally, a new children’s learning booklet titled 'WONDER SHEET,' which reveals the secrets of AOAO SAPPORO, and special food & drink menus will be introduced.

[New Exhibits] Three New Exhibits at AOAO SAPPORO Themed on 'Great Evolution'

Great Evolution ①: 'Kitasan Sho-u-o Growth Observation Tank' — Observe the growth process and development of the northern salamander. Great Evolution ②: 'CO-WORKING AQUARIUM: Room for Co-Creation and Play' — Learn about fish lifestyles through the diversity of fins. Great Evolution ③: 'GREEN ROOM: Room of Birds, Lizards, and Dinosaurs' — Experience how some dinosaurs evolved into birds.

[From left: Northern salamander larvae (photo taken June 26), Netta-minokasago, Urokoinko, Kamui-saurus 1/5 scale model]

Enjoying Sapporo’s Nights at the Aquarium: 'Happy Late Nights'

On July 4, 2026, AOAO SAPPORO was ranked 8th in the 'Anything Rankings' section of the Saturday edition of Nihon Keizai Shimbun's 'NIKKEI plus1,' among aquariums nationwide for its 'Summer Night Aquarium' appeal. Visitors can also enjoy Sapporo’s local tradition of 'Shime Parfait' (closing parfait) within the aquarium.