Art Aquarium Museum
The Art Aquarium Museum is a permanent exhibit by Japanese Artist, Hidetomo Kimura. He has done these “aquarium” exhibits in many locations across several countries since 2007. Some exhibits were done to raise funds for charities like the Kumamoto earthquake and even ocean conservation efforts. This particular exhibit is located in Nihonbashi, in Tokyo, and was started in 2011. The artist has created a Willy Wonka world of goldfish delights. Each room has a different vibe, and unique music is piped into the spaces to help add to the ambience. In some spaces, the lights fade in and out or alternate colors, effects that make the goldfish look different as the lights change. These “goldfish” are called Kingyo and are ornamental fish, often man made, that vary greatly in sizes, shapes, and colors. There were gigantic koi, bug eyed ones, and of course the more commonly known variety of little orange and white ones that many people can probably remember from their local county fairs. Where for just $5, if you were ‘lucky’ enough to land that ping pong ball into their little bowl, you could even take that fish home! After which your parents had to stop at the local Walmart and proceed to buy you a bowl, some rainbow gravel, a little plastic plant, and some food—then hope that it would live more than 2 days before taking its funeral procession down the porcelain highway (if you know what I mean). All of that for a fish that you could just buy for like 50 cents—so were you really winning? I say a resounding YES! Maybe those county fair goldfish are what sparked my love and appreciation of these creatures. Seeing so many of them here in this museum, was a true dream come true. If you too want to make your goldfish fantasies a reality, you can for a mere $23. I know that sounds steep, but in my opinion, I think it is worth it. It was a chance to see just how majestic these guys can be when you give them the best care, food, and water purification—to see how they can THRIVE as opposed to the often short time they could “survive” in my own sub-par childish care.
