Tokyo Sea Life Park has various departments, including animal care and exhibition staff, and education and outreach staff.

As part of 　the commemorative projects for our 35th anniversary this year, we have been writing a series of articles titled "Dreams of Aquarium Leaders," in which leaders from each department have written about themes such as "the ideal exhibit/aquarium" and "what they want to do and their dreams for their future work." This is the final installment.

The 12th installment: "Thoughts and daily life of the Business Division staff"

My department, the Business Division, has three sections: "Information Section," "Operations Section," and "Sales Section."

Every department plays a vital role in providing a variety of services to visitors, working closely with them. If you reread our previous articles to get a better understanding of the specific work we do within the aquarium, you might find some parts that are "just as I imagined" and others that are "a little different from what I expected."

The Business Operations Department is not directly involved with the animals kept at the aquarium, but it may have a significant impact on the impression the aquarium gives. This is because the Business Operations Department staff are one of the departments that have many opportunities to interact directly with visitors.

Guides will be at the entrance/exit gates and information counters, while administrative and sales staff will be at gift shops and restaurants, speaking with visitors about a variety of topics. These are the staff members that visitors will encounter at designated locations, such as immediately upon entering (entrance gate/information counter) and at the end of their visit (restaurant/gift shop).

The impression you get of the staff you meet at the beginning and end of your visit can directly influence your overall impression of the aquarium.

At an aquarium, guides, administrative staff, and sales staff don't often play the leading role. However, we are aware that each staff member's actions can, for better or worse, influence the overall impression of the facility, and we approach our daily work with a sense of responsibility.

Our work is people-centered. One of the skills that is particularly required in this work is "imagination."

for example,

"What kind of accidents are likely to occur in this location?"
- "How should we respond if a patient suddenly falls ill?"
"What kind of menu would children enjoy?"
"What kind of souvenirs (products) are our customers looking for?"

...and so on, it is necessary to constantly imagine and give shape to such situations. It is important to be prepared in advance so that you can respond appropriately without panicking in the event of an emergency. While we hope that we will never have to use our "preparation" in an emergency, we will proceed with preparations by carefully using our imagination.

In product and menu development, we utilize our imagination to plan products and menus that will delight our customers.

The role of the Operations Department is to interact with and converse with many visitors within the aquarium, to use our imagination to prepare, to create a comfortable viewing environment, and to help them take home better memories. This kind of work exists at aquariums. If you're thinking, "I'd like to work at an aquarium!", please consider the work of the Operations Department as an option. Won't you help our customers take home better memories at the aquarium?

I am truly looking forward to working with all of you in the future. We await your arrival!


35 years with the glass dome
Furthermore, Tokyo Sea Life Park has reached its 35th anniversary, thanks to the support of many people since its opening. Although the current facilities will only be in operation for a few more years, we hope you will continue to support Tokyo Sea Life Park in the future. All of our staff look forward to your visit.

[Ryuta Shinozaki, Head of Business Tokyo Sea Life Park]

• Serialized article: 35th Anniversary Project "The Dreams of Aquarium Leaders"
　[1] Thoughts on the exhibits at the aquarium
　[2] The path that aquariums aim for - We want them to always be close to you
　[3] Would you like to get involved in the maintenance and management of the facilities that support the aquarium from behind the scenes?
　[4] Aquariums where you can learn while having fun
　[5] I want to create the ocean
　[6] Aqua Positive
　[7] Aiming for an inclusive aquarium
　[8] The Dreaming Old Man
　[9] The job of a "boatman" at an aquarium - Let's continue the dream together!
　[10] Value hospitality
　[11] What we want to convey from shops and restaurants!! The charm and importance of living things
　[12 (Final Episode)] Thoughts and daily life of the Business Division staff

(March 28, 2025)