osaka aquarium, or, kaiyūkan (meaning ‘playing in the sea pavillion’) is an aquarium known to be in the top 5 best aquariums in the world, as it is home to over 30,000 creatures and 620+ different species, including otters, sea lions, penguins, dolphins, rays, jellyfish, and their most popular attractions; two whale sharks and ringed seals.

meanings: yuki = snow, arare = hail, moya = haze

ARARE, YUKI AND MOYA 🦭

kaiyūkan’s famous ringed seals, yuki-chan, arare/arale-chan, and moya-kun attract thousands of visitors every year, especially during golden week (29 april to 5 may), which is a week long public holiday to encourage travelling, vacation and tourism.

ringed seals 🦭

✮ ringed seals are in a pinniped group classified as true/earless seals, meaning they lack any kind of external/visible ear.
✮ ringed seals are one of the smallest species of seal, along with the baikal seal. their body is plump with small heads/snouts.
✮ they get their name from their dark coat with a silver, ringed pattern and light coloured belly.
✮ ringed seals hunt solo, and can find their fish as deep as 45 metres down.

ringed seal visuals.

✮ their habitat is the arctic, and can be found as far down south as northern japan.
✮ thankfully, ringed seals’ extinction status is least concern! (they have the highest population of any seal species in the world!)
✮ they are almost completely solo animals, they only stay with other seals during mating season.
✮ they have 5 to 10 subspecies.

arare the ringed seal! 🦭🫧

✮ female, her exact age is unknown but she is believed to be born in 2005.
✮ she is my favourite!
✮ she loves enclosed and small spaces, often getting herself stuck between the imitation ice and glass display wall.
✮ her favourite thing to do is sit on the drain, as she is a very lazy seal, especially during molting.
✮ she is the mother of osaka aquarium’s first baby seal, mizore. unfortunately, she doesn’t plan on having any more pups.
✮ her eyes are said to be so big and dark, that they’ll suck you in.

sitting on the drain.

between the ice and glass.

big eyes.

yuki the ringed seal! 🦭🫧

✮ female, estimated to be born in 2008.
✮ she is a voracious and enthusiastic eater, as she eats the most out of the three seals and waits outside the keeper’s door at meal time.
✮ she gained popularity for her perfect roundness.
✮ she is most commonly known as the angry, round seal plush.
✮ she is the roundest of the three and has the smallest head.
✮ she is weird and likes to lick the imitation ice.

very round.

moya the ringed seal! 🦭🫧

✮ male, 14-16?
✮ he is a more unpopular seal, less is known about him.
✮ father of mizore.
✮ is temporarily taken off exhibit sometimes for unknown reasons.
✮ long whiskers, and wrinkles on his face during molting and mating season.
✮ he also enjoys licking the imitation ice.

wrinkly face, long whiskers.