Tokushima: Sea Turtles Swim in Brand-new Pool; Museum Dedicated to Turtles Reopens after Major Renovations

The Yomiuri Shimbun

15:06 JST, August 9, 2025

MINAMI, Tokushima — The Hiwasa Sea Turtle Museum has finished installing a new pool big enough for raising sea turtles with a focus on the wellbeing of the animals.

The museum in Minami, Tokushima Prefecture, keeps about 50 turtles and has been undergoing large-scale renovations since 2023.

The previously shallow, angular pool has been redesigned with a circular shape and a maximum depth of 3 meters. Six sea turtles — including Hamataro, the world’s oldest known loggerhead sea turtle — swim freely, allowing visitors to see them up close.

A new exhibition area features panels with information on subjects such as the history of ecological research on sea turtles started by Hiwasa Junior High School students in 1950.

The area also exhibits a virtual game highlighting environmental issues surrounding sea turtles and a large evolutionary tree displayed on the floor that charts the evolution of turtles.

Before its official reopening, the renovated museum was unveiled to officials and local residents on July 16 and 17.

“The sea turtles looked so comfortable. I hope many people from outside the town will come to visit, too,” a 74-year-old woman said.