[Okinawa Churaumi Aquarium] The Story of Oki-chan Passed on to the Next Generation: Donating the Picture Book 'Oki-chan of Churaumi' to Educational Facilities in Okinawa Prefecture

We are pleased to announce that the Okinawa Churaumi Aquarium (Location: Motobu Town, Kunigami District, Okinawa Prefecture; Director: Keiichi Sato) will donate 300 copies (planned) of the non-fiction picture book "Oki-chan of Churaumi," featuring Oki-chan, a bottlenose dolphin who has brought smiles to many people for many years, to approximately 300 educational facilities such as elementary schools and libraries in Okinawa Prefecture starting July 13.

This initiative aims to deepen the interest of Okinawan children in the importance of life, the connection between humans and animals, and marine life through Oki-chan's life story.

Bottlenose Dolphin Oki-chan

"Oki-chan of Churaumi"

The World's Best Dolphin, Who Made 50 Million People Smile

Text: Kiki Yumimura

Illustrations: Yumi Shimokawara

Publication Date: April 22, 2026

Price: 1,980 yen (tax included)

Publisher: KADOKAWA CORPORATION

The bottlenose dolphin "Oki-chan" performed in dolphin shows at the Okinawa Churaumi Aquarium for 50 years from 1975, bringing smiles and excitement to over 50 million people in Japan and around the world. In 2025, Oki-chan updated the world's longest captive record, but sadly passed away in December of the same year.

This book is a non-fiction picture book featuring "Oki-chan" as the protagonist. It tells the untold story of Oki-chan's life and the true story filled with love from the people who supported "Oki-chan." The end of the book includes pages explaining dolphin ecology by Okinawa Churaumi Aquarium staff, a timeline, and more.

In conjunction with this donation, we will hold the following reading event.

【Reading Event】 Date: Monday, July 13, 2026, 10:40 AM - 11:25 AM Location: Motobu Town Municipal Kamihonbu Gakuen (1317 Kitazato, Motobu Town, Kunigami District, Okinawa Prefecture)

Target Audience: 3rd-grade elementary school students at Kamihonbu Gakuen Content: Picture book donation ceremony, reading, explanation of Oki-chan and dolphin ecology by trainers, etc.

*Participation by the general public is not permitted. Please understand this in advance.

The Okinawa Churaumi Aquarium will continue to provide programs that stimulate intellectual curiosity and remain a hub for nurturing people who love and protect the oceans of Okinawa and the world.

About Okinawa Churaumi Aquarium

In the "Okinawa Churaumi Aquarium," "Chura" means "beautiful, pure" in the Okinawan language. Under the exhibition concept of recreating the naturally rich Okinawan sea, it creates opportunities to encounter a wide variety of aquatic creatures living in the Southwest Islands and the Kuroshio Sea, with the theme of "Encountering the Okinawan Sea." Furthermore, as a world-leading aquarium, it conducts conservation and breeding research and biological research on rare species, provides high-quality educational opportunities to all people, and aims to be a leading facility for sustainable tourism. It is certified as a registered museum, which has legal standing, among museums nationwide.

*The Okinawa Churaumi Aquarium is managed and operated by the "Okinawa Churashima Foundation (URL https://churashima.okinawa/".