Now in its 9th year! "September 9th is Giant Salamander Day 2026" will be held.

Kyoto Aquarium (Location: Shimogyo-ku, Kyoto City; General Manager: Kazuyoshi Sakano) is pleased to announce that it will be holding "September 9th is Giant Salamander Day 2026" to commemorate "Giant Salamander Day" on September 9th, and will be presenting the ecology and charm of giant salamanders through various events.

Kyoto Aquarium designated September 9th as "Giant Salamander Day" because the shape of the giant salamander resembles the number "9" and because giant salamanders become more active around September for breeding purposes. In April 2018, it was officially recognized by the Japan Anniversary Association. This year marks the 9th anniversary since its recognition, and the aquarium will celebrate the day with a total of five events, including some of its most popular annual events.

In anticipation of the anniversary, we will be holding the "Giant Salamander 8-Hour Endurance Breathing Survey" on Thursday, September 3rd and Friday, September 4th. This popular event, which was first held last year and attracted over 100 applicants, will allow visitors and animal care staff to investigate the breathing patterns of eight giant salamanders that could not be surveyed last time. Additionally, on Sunday, September 6th, we will be holding the "Giant Salamander Float Pulling Experience," an annual event where children can pull the giant salamander float, "Oosan Kotaro."

On Wednesday, September 9th, Giant Salamander Day, we will be holding "Measure the Giant Salamander!", where we will measure the total length and weight of our largest giant salamander (a hybrid individual) right in front of our visitors. Last year, it measured 161cm and weighed 32.3kg, but please come and see this year's measurement results in person.

In addition, September will be designated Giant Salamander Month, with approximately 100 giant salamander plush toys appearing at 22 locations throughout Kyoto City, including hotels and the Kyoto Railway Museum. Furthermore, new merchandise will be added, including a giant salamander plush toy made of denim fabric in collaboration with EDWIN, giant salamander ball chains available in six different colors, and a giant salamander backpack that children can carry on their backs.

Let's celebrate "Giant Salamander Day" together at Kyoto Aquarium on September 9th!

1. Overview of "September 9th is Giant Salamander Day 2026"

■This might be the last year!? "Giant Salamander 8-Hour Endurance Breathing Survey"
The "Giant Salamander 8-Hour Endurance Breathing Survey" is a popular event that was first held last year and attracted over 100 applicants. Giant salamanders are said to surface to breathe every 20 to 40 minutes. This year, we will be conducting breathing surveys on 8 of the 17 giant salamanders exhibited in the "The River of Kyoto" area that we were unable to survey last year. We are looking for challengers who possess both a love for giant salamanders and the patience to participate.

Date and Time: Thursday, September 3rd and Friday, September 4th, 2026, starting at 10:00 AM
Location: In front of the giant salamander tank in the "The River of Kyoto" area. Admission: Free (Aquarium entrance fee not included).
Participation requirements: High school students and older / Capacity: 5 people on September 3rd (Thu) and 4 people on September 4th (Fri) Application method: Pre-registration required via the " Events and Experiences" page on our official website Application period: August 19th (Wed) - August 23rd (Sun), 2026
*The content may be changed without notice depending on the health condition of the animals.
*If there are many applicants, a lottery will be held. Winners will be notified by email on Monday, August 24, 2026.

■ Get the kids excited! "Giant Salamander Float Pulling Experience"
A giant salamander float, nicknamed "Oosan Kotaro," measuring approximately 2.5m in length and 1.5m in width, will be paraded through Umekoji Park, pulled by children. As September 9th is also "Emergency Services Day," commemorative photos will be taken with an ambulance and a fire truck alongside Oosan Kotaro. After the float procession, Oosan Kotaro will be on display in the museum entrance until the end of November.

Date and Time: Sunday, September 6, 2026, 9:00 AM - 10:00 AM Meeting Place: In front of the Kyoto Aquarium entrance Fee: Free Application Period: Wednesday, August 19, 2026 - Sunday, August 23, 2026
Participation requirements: Ages 5-12, Capacity: 24 people. How to apply: Apply in advance through the " Events and Experiences" page on our official website. *If there are many applicants, a lottery will be held. Winners will be notified by email on August 24, 2026 (Monday).
* Parental supervision is required.
* For safety reasons, children under 5 years old and those in strollers are not permitted to participate.
*Please note that the event may be canceled or the content changed without prior notice due to weather conditions or other reasons.

■Giant Salamander Day! "Measure the Giant Salamander!"
On "Giant Salamander Day," the Kyoto Aquarium will measure the total length and weight of the largest giant salamander (a hybrid) on display. Last year, the result was 161cm and 32.3kg, but be sure to come and see this year's result for yourself!

Date and Time: Wednesday, September 9, 2026, 10:10 AM - 10:40 AM Location: In front of the giant salamander tank in the "The River of Kyoto" area Fee: Free *Aquarium admission fee not included. No advance reservation required.
*Please note that the schedule may be changed or the event may be canceled without prior notice.

■Watch in person & watch live on Instagram! "Giant Salamander Pre-Measurement Event" held ahead of September 9th
Ahead of the "Measure the Giant Salamander!" event on September 9th, we will be holding a "preliminary measurement session" to measure the total length and weight of approximately 20 giant salamanders kept at our facility. This year, we will be offering tickets that include viewing the preliminary measurement session after closing hours, a back-of-house tour, and a souvenir. Furthermore, we will be live-streaming part of the preliminary measurement session on our official Instagram account. We will be answering questions from viewers, so please enjoy!

Date and Time: Tuesday, September 8, 2026, 6:00 PM - 7:30 PM Location: In front of the giant salamander tank in the "The River of Kyoto" area Price: 9,999 yen (tax included)
Participation requirements: 9 people, high school students and older. How to participate: Sold out. <br />Other: We will be live streaming for about 20 minutes from 6:15 PM on our official Instagram ( https://www.instagram.com/kyoto_aquarium ). Details will be announced on our official social media accounts (X and Instagram).
*Please note that the schedule may be changed or the event may be canceled without prior notice.
* Due to communication environment issues, the live stream may be difficult to connect to, or the broadcast may be interrupted or canceled.

■Events related to "Emergency Services Day" will also be held on the 9th.

1. Kyoto City Fire Department's "Emergency Services Day" Workshop on September 6th (Sun) The Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare and the Fire and Disaster Management Agency of the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications designate September 9th as "Emergency Services Day" and the week including Emergency Services Day (Sunday to Saturday) as "Emergency Medical Week." Every year, various initiatives related to emergency services are carried out throughout Japan to deepen understanding and awareness of emergency medical services. On September 6th (Sun), an emergency medical instruction workshop will be held, in which children are also welcome to participate.

Date and Time: Sunday, September 6, 2026, 3:30 PM - 5:00 PM (tentative)
Location: 2nd floor "Communication Hall" workshop space. Fee: Free (Aquarium admission fee not included). No advance reservation required. Multiple workshops will be held during the event hours, so please feel free to participate.

2. On Wednesday, September 9th, the Kyoto Prefectural Branch of the Japanese Red Cross Society will conduct an awareness campaign for "Emergency Services Day ." On September 9th, which is "Emergency Services Day," the Kyoto Prefectural Branch of the Japanese Red Cross Society will conduct an awareness campaign inside the building.
On the day of the event, we will hold a photo session with Heartra-chan, the mascot character of the Japanese Red Cross Society, and Heartra-chan the giant salamander, the mascot character of the Kyoto Prefecture branch, as well as workshops to learn about water safety, such as trying out flotation devices made from plastic bottles.

Date and time: Wednesday, September 9, 2026
① Commemorative photo session: Around 11:00 AM (after the "Measure the Giant Salamander!" event ends)
② Workshop: 4:15 PM - 5:45 PM (tentative)
Location: ① "The River of Kyoto" area ② "Communication Hall" workshop area Fee: Free *Aquarium admission fee not included. No advance reservation required.

2. Approximately 100 giant salamander plush toys have appeared at 22 locations in Kyoto City .

The giant salamander plush toys, hugely popular at the Kyoto Aquarium, will be welcoming visitors at various locations throughout Kyoto City. A total of 22 facilities and organizations are participating, including a giant salamander plush toy riding on the 500 series Shinkansen currently on display at the Kyoto Railway Museum, and hotels around Umekoji Park, bringing the whole community together to celebrate "Giant Salamander Day" on September 9th.

Period: From September 5, 2026 (Saturday) *Start and end dates vary depending on the installation location.

List of Initiatives (in no particular order)

3. New giant salamander merchandise is arriving one after another!

■EDWIN x Kyoto Aquarium Giant Salamander Plush Toy : To commemorate "Giant Salamander Day," a giant salamander plush toy in collaboration with EDWIN will be released. It comes in two colors and features embroidery of EDWIN denim pockets.
Furthermore, we will also be selling an A4-sized denim tote bag with a giant salamander appliqué peeking out from the pocket. A matching charm will also be available. Don't miss this opportunity to purchase one!

Sales start date: September 5, 2026 (Saturday)
Sales location: 1st floor museum shop Price:
① Giant salamander plush toys: 5,800 yen each (tax included) *1
② A4 size tote bag 4,290 yen (tax included) *1
③ Applique Keychain 2,200 yen (tax included) *1
Size: Plush toy: Approx. W15 x D9 x H35cm
*Please note that there may be slight variations in size due to manufacturing processes.

*1 The corrections made on September 15, 2026 are as follows:
Incorrect: Giant salamander plush toy ¥4,400 each, A4 size tote bag ¥3,500, applique keychain ¥1,850 Correct: Giant salamander plush toy ¥5,800 each, A4 size tote bag ¥4,290, applique keychain ¥2,200

■Giant Salamander Snow Version Mascot (6 colors available)
The white giant salamander plush toy that was sold in the winter of 2024 and 2025 is now available as a keychain. It comes with one of six different colored bandanas, so choose your favorite color.

Sales start date: September 5, 2026 (Saturday)
Sales location: Museum shop on the 1st floor. Price: 1,650 yen (tax included)
Size: Approximately W7.5 x D15 x H4cm

■Giant Salamander Backpack <br />The giant salamander has been transformed into a children's backpack! The giant salamander's large mouth is a zipper, allowing you to put your belongings inside. It's sized for toddlers to carry on their backs. Why not take your child out and about with this giant salamander backpack?

Sales start date: September 5, 2026 (Saturday)
Sales location: Museum shop on the 1st floor. Price: 3,500 yen (tax included)
Size: Approximately W25 x D34 x H8cm