Explore the Museum
The museum features a variety of exhibits introducing the lives and evolution of sea turtles. Displays are arranged across the first and second floors, while outdoor pools allow visitors to observe living turtles. The combination of educational exhibits, visual presentations, and opportunities to see turtles up close makes the museum an enjoyable learning experience for visitors of all ages.
First-Floor Exhibits
The first floor features preserved specimens of sea turtles from around the world, along with exhibits explaining their evolutionary history. Through photographs, explanatory panels, and displays, visitors can learn how sea turtles developed over time and adapted to life in the ocean.
Second-Floor Exhibits
On the second floor, visitors can enjoy a sea turtle quiz area and a large 120-inch high-definition theater. The video presentations introduce topics such as nesting behavior and the daily lives of sea turtles, making the exhibits accessible and engaging for both children and adults.
Meet the Giant Turtles in the Outdoor Pool
One of the museum’s highlights is its outdoor giant turtle pool, where visitors can watch large sea turtles swimming through the water. Some of the turtles measure more than one meter in length.
Among the turtles kept at the museum is an individual born in 1950, recognized for its exceptionally well-documented age. Visitors may also have the opportunity to feed the turtles special treats, creating a memorable encounter with these remarkable marine animals. Please follow the museum’s instructions when interacting with the turtles.
Observation Deck and Learning Areas
The museum has an observation deck overlooking Ohama Beach, offering beautiful coastal views and a chance to reflect on the sea turtles that come ashore along this stretch of coastline.
Visitors can also explore the “Ancient Times” area, which introduces the evolutionary history of turtles, and the preserved-specimen section, where examples from around the world help illustrate the diversity of sea turtles. These exhibits provide a broader understanding of the animals and their place in the natural world.
Sea Turtles on Display
Hiwasa Sea Turtle Museum Caretta introduces several types of sea turtles, including species found in Japanese waters and others associated with tropical regions. The exhibits explain their distinctive characteristics, habitats, and feeding habits.
Loggerhead Sea Turtle
The loggerhead sea turtle is known for its reddish-brown shell and large head. Loggerheads come ashore to nest at Ohama Beach in Minami Town. Adults can grow to more than one meter in length and feed mainly on animal prey, including shellfish and crustaceans. They are also known for their long-distance migrations across the Pacific Ocean.
Green Sea Turtle
Green sea turtles nest in areas such as the Ogasawara Islands and the Nansei Islands in southern Japan, rather than on Shikoku. However, young green turtles may visit the waters around Minami Town while traveling through the region and feeding on seaweed as they grow. They are primarily herbivorous, and adults can exceed 1.5 meters in length.
Loggerhead Hatchlings
The museum displays loggerhead hatchlings provided by other aquariums. In the wild, newly hatched loggerheads enter the open ocean and are carried by currents, including the Kuroshio Current, making them difficult for people to observe. At the museum, some hatchlings are raised for study and care, while certain individuals are released as part of efforts to return them to the wild.
Green Sea Turtle Hatchlings
The museum also displays young green sea turtles born on Yakushima Island. This exhibit is part of a cooperative effort with the Yakushima Sea Turtle Museum. The young turtles are returned to Yakushima after approximately one year.
Hawksbill Sea Turtle
The hawksbill sea turtle is a tropical species that nests in areas such as Okinawa and the Yaeyama Islands. It feeds largely on marine sponges. Its beautifully patterned shell was once heavily exploited for tortoiseshell crafts, contributing to serious declines in its populations.
Hawksbill turtles are occasionally found in Tokushima after becoming inactive in cold winter conditions. When this happens, they may be temporarily rescued and cared for.
Black Sea Turtle
The black sea turtle resembles the green sea turtle but has a darker body and a distinctive heart-shaped shell. It is generally classified as a subspecies of the green sea turtle, although some researchers consider its physical differences significant enough to warrant separate classification.
The species is native primarily to coastal waters along the western side of Mexico, but individuals are occasionally found in Japan as well.
Other Turtles
In addition to sea turtles, the museum keeps approximately 15 other turtle species, including tortoises and freshwater turtles. These exhibits help visitors understand the broader diversity of turtles and learn more about their evolution, habitats, and ways of life.
Getting to Hiwasa Sea Turtle Museum Caretta
By Public Transportation
The museum is approximately a 20-minute walk from Hiwasa Station on the JR Mugi Line. The walk offers an opportunity to enjoy the scenery of Minami Town on the way to the museum.
By Car
The museum can also be reached by car, and parking is available nearby. Visitors are encouraged to check transportation arrangements and current visitor information before setting out.
A Museum with a Connection to Japanese Television
Hiwasa Sea Turtle Museum Caretta was one of the locations associated with NHK’s morning television drama series Well Kame. The museum appeared in the story as a sea turtle facility and has become one of the recognizable symbols of Minami Town.
Beyond its role as a tourist attraction, the museum contributes to sea turtle conservation and environmental education. By introducing visitors to the lives of these marine animals and the challenges they face, it helps communicate the importance of protecting coastal habitats and ocean ecosystems.
Discover the World of Sea Turtles
Hiwasa Sea Turtle Museum Caretta offers a rare opportunity to learn about sea turtles, from their evolutionary history and distinctive biology to the conservation efforts needed to protect them. Visitors can explore educational exhibits, watch large turtles swimming in the outdoor pool, and enjoy views of nearby Ohama Beach, an important nesting site for loggerhead sea turtles.
Whether you are traveling with children, interested in marine wildlife, or simply curious about the natural world, the museum makes a rewarding stop in Minami Town. Combine your visit with a walk along the coast to experience both the fascinating lives of sea turtles and the beautiful Pacific shoreline of southern Tokushima.