*Note that the ship sometimes swayed on high waves
[Seto Marine Biological Laboratory]
The laboratory was established in 1922 at Shirahama Town, Wakayama prefecture. Throughout its history, the laboratory has been one of center places in Japan to study systematics, ecology and other natural history sciences of marine invertebrates. The laboratory has been visited by hundreds of distinguished scientists from all over the world for their research and also used for education for university students from various parts of Japan. The laboratory holds Shirahama Aquarium as an adjunct facility and Hatakejima Island as a protected area. The neighboring coastal areas are composed of diverse environments such as steep cliffs, bays of various sizes, sandy beaches, rocky shores, and mudflat. The climate is mild, which is influenced by the warm oceanic current Kuroshio, and the marine flora and fauna are exceptionally rich.