"Art Aquarium," an aquarium art exhibition by art aquarium artist Kimura Hidetomo, will finally open on July 5th (until September 23rd) at Nihonbashi Mitsui Hall in Tokyo. This year it will be held at two venues, before traveling to Kumamoto Castle Hall in Kumamoto from November 2nd to January 13th.

"Oiran," a representative work of Art Aquarium (Nihonbashi Mitsui Hall)

"Art Aquarium" is an aquarium art exhibition that combines "art, design, entertainment" with "aquariums." This wildly popular event has attracted a total of 9.45 million visitors to date. Experience a unique world of ornamental fish, primarily goldfish—one of Japan's most beautiful creatures—glitting gracefully in aquariums designed with a traditional Japanese motif, interwoven with the latest technology—light, video, music, and fragrance. The "ECO EDO Nihonbashi Art Aquarium 2019" will be held at the Tokyo venue (Nihonbashi Mitsui Hall) on July 5th. A press preview was held the day before the opening, revealing the full details. This will be the last time the exhibition will be held at Nihonbashi Mitsui Hall, a long-running venue since its inception. The venue will feature a total of 20 representative works, including three iconic and popular works from the giant goldfish bowl series—"Oiran," "Ooku," and "Super Oiran"—as well as the majestic "Lotusrium," a four-meter square lotus-themed piece—for the first time ever exhibited in the same venue. The total number of goldfish decorating the artwork exceeds 10,000, marking the largest number of artworks and goldfish ever displayed. New presentation methods, such as linking light and sound, have been added, further immersing the viewer in the world of the artwork and the fantastical space, resulting in a grand finale.


"Lotusrium" (Nihonbashi Mitsui Hall)
Inspired by the lotus flower, a summer seasonal word, the aquarium "Lotusrium" is a massive work measuring approximately four meters on each side, making its first appearance in this exhibition. The lotus requires thick, muddy water to produce large, beautiful flowers. No matter how hardships and difficulties a flower overcomes to bloom, it will wither by the fourth day. This elegant and graceful new work superimposes this beautiful yet fleeting life with goldfish.


"Jacuzzirium" debuts at Nihonbashi Mitsui Hall.

"Jacuzzirium," inspired by a jacuzzi where you feel as if you are immersed in a mass of water, is making its debut at Nihonbashi Mitsui Hall. Other notable Art Aquarium works on display include "Kimonorium," which combines Kyoto's traditional craft of Kyo-Yuzen with 3D projection mapping, and "Aqua Gate," a stack of triangular aquariums with a mirrored effect.

From 7pm onwards, the venue transforms into a Night Aquarium, allowing visitors to enjoy drinks while viewing the artworks. Depending on the day, a number of special stages that cannot usually be seen are held, including traditional Japanese performing arts such as Noh and Kyogen, Kyoto dance performed by Gion maiko and geisha, and the magnificent courtesan dance of popular theater, as well as DJ sets that are popular both in Japan and abroad. Takkyu Ishino will be performing as the July headliner on July 6th, and Ken Ishii will be performing as the August headliner on August 24th.

The theme of this first visit to Kumamoto is "reconstruction." The exhibition will be held on an unprecedented scale at Kumamoto Castle Hall, which boasts the largest exhibition area ever for an indoor exhibition. Some works will be on display for the first time in Kyushu, including "Ceiling Goldfish," a five-year project that brings to life the legend of a wealthy Edo-period merchant who built a glass aquarium into the ceiling and gazed up at the goldfish. Experience a new world you've never experienced before.


In addition, the popular annual "Art Aquarium Summer Festival," where you can enjoy "Bon Odori" (Bon Dance), goldfish scooping, and goldfish sales, will be held every weekend from July 20th to September 1st. This year, for the first time, "National Bon Odori Gathering: Experience the Nationally Popular "Bon Odori" in Nihonbashi, Tokyo," will be held, allowing you to experience Bon Odori from all over Japan. After watching the "Bon Odori" performed by dancers from each local Bon Odori group, visitors can join in the fun. What's more, the fourth installment of the Artistic Photo Calendar Collection, a collaborative project created in collaboration with renowned photographers, has teamed up with photographer Anju to produce the 2020 calendar "ANJU xtimes; ART AQUARIUM CALENDAR," which will be on sale at the venue. Early bird tickets, which offer discounts on admission to the Tokyo venue, will go on sale from 10:00 on June 6th at Seven Tickets and at multi-copy machines in 7-Eleven stores nationwide. Further ticket details will be announced on the official website (http://artaquarium.jp) as they become available.