The Renewal of Tokyo Sea Life Park

Project Overview

Objective

It has been more than 30 years since Tokyo Sea Life Park opened, and time has taken its toll on the facilities and equipment. The aquarium also needs to adapt to changing social situations in Japan and abroad.
To address these issues, a new aquarium will be constructed on a site adjacent to the current aquarium.
The aquarium will be reborn as a more attractive facility, featuring renewed exhibitions, spaces where visitors can experience the sea using the latest technology, and devices that provide new learning opportunities and experiences.

Project Name

Tokyo Sea Life Park （tentative name） Renewal Project

Location

Rinkai-cho 6-chome, Edogawa-ku, Tokyo

New Philosophy

“An aquarium that creates opportunities for people to engage with, and deepen their understanding of the ocean by connecting with it.”

New Aquarium Overview

Building area: approx.　13,000 square meters
Total floor area: approx.　24,000 square meters
Water tank capacity: approx.　4,800 t
Structure: Reinforced concrete （steel for other buildings）
Number of floors:　1 below ground,　2 above ground （main building）

Project Method

PFI-BTO method*
*PFI （Private Finance Initiative）: A public work project method, where public facilities, etc. are designed, constructed, maintained, and operated utilizing private-sector funds and expertise.
BTO is a type of PFI in which ownership of the facility is transferred to an administrator of a public works, etc.　（here, the Tokyo Metropolitan Government） after facility completion.

Tokyo Sea Life Park and Project Site

What's New

• February 2024　Fact Sheet and FAQ （HTML, PDF） on the Tokyo Sea Life Park （tentative name） Renewal Project updated
• June 2023　FAQ on the Tokyo Sea Life Park (tentative name) Renewal Project updated
• March 2023　Fact Sheet published on the Tokyo Sea Life Park （tentative name） Renewal Project
• March 2023　FAQ published for the Tokyo Sea Life Park （tentative name） Renewal Project
• December 2022　Project contract concluded
• October 2022　Results of the objective evaluation

Conceptual images of the new aquarium entrance and the “Kyosei-no-Mori” as seen from its main gate

Background to Date

• October 1989: Tokyo Sea Life Park opened
• December 2017　- July 2018: Meetings of the Study Group on Tokyo Sea Life Park （5 meetings）
• October 2018: Report of Meetings of the Study Group on Tokyo Sea Life Park published
• November 2018: Basic Concept （Draft） for the Renewal of Tokyo Sea Life Park published and opinions solicited
• January 2019: Basic Concept for the Renewal of Tokyo Sea Life Park published
• January 2019　- February 2020: Tokyo Sea Life Park Renewal Project Plan review meetings （5 meetings）
• December 2019: Project Plan （draft） for the Renewal of Tokyo Sea Life Park published and opinions solicited
• March 2020: Report of the Tokyo Sea Life Park Renewal Project Plan Review Meeting published
• October 2020: Tokyo Sea Life Park Renewal Project Plan published
• September 2021: Implementation Policy published
• December 2021: Selection of Specified Projects
• January 2022: Call for bids from private companies （tender announcement）
• August 2022: Awardee selected
• September 2022: Basic agreement concluded
• September 2022: Examiners’ Comments and Minutes of the Committee Meeting published
• October 2022: Provisional contract concluded
• October 2022: Objective Evaluation Results
• December 2022: Project contract concluded
• March 2023: FAQ for the Tokyo Sea Life Park Renewal Project published
• March 2023: Fact Sheet on the Tokyo Sea Life Park Renewal Project published
• June 2023: FAQ on the Tokyo Sea Life Park Renewal Project updated
• February 2024: Fact Sheet(PDF:4,739KB) and FAQ(PDF:3,350KB) on the Tokyo Sea Life Park Renewal Project updated

Schedule

• December 2022　- September 2027: Design and construction of the new aquarium
  • December 2022 -- November 2023: Basic design of the new aquarium
  • December 2023 -- September 2024: Working design of the new aquarium
  • December 2022 -- December 2024: Talks with the authorities concerned in accordance with the Building Standards Law, etc.
  • December 2022 -- June 2024: Surveys on soil, trees and so forth
• October 2027　- March 2028: Preparation for opening of the new aquarium
• March 2028: New aquarium opens to the public
• March 2048: Project contract ends

Considerations on Utilization of the Existing Facility

In the Tokyo Sea Life Park Renewal Project Plan formulated in October 2020, the Tokyo Metropolitan Government stated that, in parallel with efforts to develop a new facility, the current Tokyo Sea Life Park （hereafter “the existing facility”） should be studied for its potential for utilization and profitability after relocation of the aquarium functions to the new facility, and therefore is currently studying the utilization of the existing facility.

In September 2021, the Basic Concept for Utilization of the existing Tokyo Sea Life Park Facility was released, presenting a concept for the utilization of the existing facility and the viewpoints and direction of the study.

September 2021: Basic Concept for Utilization of the Existing Tokyo Sea Life Park Facility published