Medaka in a Japanese-Style Showcase

Tochigi Nakagawa Aquatic Park is an aquarium set against the rich natural backdrop of Naka River. As a facility where visitors can learn about the local natural environment and aquatic life, it offers a variety of exhibits and interactive programs. The park particularly emphasizes the display of native Japanese freshwater fish and aquatic plants, playing a key role in conveying the beauty of nature to its visitors.

From June 1 to August 25, 2024, Nakagawa Aquatic Park is hosting an event called “Gorgeous Medaka Show.” This summer event showcases approximately 58 varieties of Japanese Rice Fish, commonly known as Medaka, including both familiar and newly developed breeds, totaling around 10,000 fish. Our Bird’s Eye Aquarium has been introduced in this event at the park’s event hall, allowing visitors to discover the diverse charms of Medaka.

Medaka are traditionally viewed from above, and our Bird’s Eye Aquarium is designed to enhance this unique display method, providing visitors with a new perspective on the various breeds. Given the event’s three-month duration, we provided the table aquarium showcase on a rental basis to meet the park’s needs.

Displaying Medaka from Above with Vibrancy

Bird’s Eye Aquarium features a distinctive top-view display, allowing visitors to clearly see the often-overlooked top view of fish. This unique perspective has helped many develop a deeper interest and appreciation for Medaka. Additionally, Bird’s Eye Aquarium maximizes the beauty of Medaka displays, earning high praise.

We invite those interested in enhancing the attractiveness of Medaka displays or other aquatic exhibits to consider installing our Bird’s Eye Aquarium. For details or inquiries, please feel free to contact us.

Brand New Interactive Fish Tanks in Uozu Aquarium

We are delighted to be appointed by Uozu Aquarium, the only aquarium with permanent marine displays in Toyama Prefecture, to design and create three interactive aquariums – Flowing Aquarium, Bird’s Eye Aquarium and Overlooking Aquarium – for family fun in the newly renovated Kids Zone on the third floor last year. The play area, which aims at engaging visitors in learning through hands-on experiences, is open to the public from March 5, 2022.

The three aquariums have unique features and different playable interactive contents for visitors.

Flowing Aquarium, powered by an electricity-generating bike, creates and changes water current for freshwater fish, allowing visitors to get a closer look at fish swimming upstream. In the middle of the fish tank, there is Kouroka Lava to mimic the nature and construct a natural environment. Visitors can enjoy viewing the fish at close proximity while sitting on the bench next to the tank.

A bar counter-type Bird’s Eye Aquarium is also set up to grow corals. Visitors can fully enjoy the glowing corals in the dark when they shine the blacklight on the tank. As it is rare to grow corals in Bird’s Eye Aquariums, visitors can take this opportunity to indulge in the amazing and vibrant atmosphere.

Last but not least, Overlooking Aquarium, which is transformed from the classic 120cm-long Bird’s Eye Aquarium YU for keeping reptiles, allows a close Bird’s Eye view from above. Visitors can sit on the provided bench and watch the animals leisurely.

The beloved animal height comparison panel visually in the Aquarium is also revamped. Visitors are welcome to take photos and compare heights with the new stuffed toys with 1:1 ratio. What’s more, ten kinds of fluffy animal head covers are placed in different areas for photo taking. (Fluffy animal head covers are not provided currently to prevent the spread of COVID-19.)

Creating Innovative Aquariums

In order to make Flowing Aquarium, it is required to produce a system to create water flow powered by bikes. We had the whole picture in mind from the very beginning, but we encountered quite a lot of difficulties during the manufacturing process. For example, we had to go through trial and error to find the perfect balance of the gear ratio of the electricity-generating bike so that both kids and adults can have fun. In order to achieve this, some primary school students were invited to try the bike to help us make final adjustments. We also thought of different ways to make sure that fish can enjoy swimming against the produced water current.

Toyama Prefecture is famous for its rapid rivers, so it is no doubt that its freshwater fish like fast-flowing water. When they feel tired, our centrally-positioned Kouroka Lava creates a cave effect, making it a perfect refuge for them.

The fish tank is well-built with an exercise bike, but overdoing might cause accidents Visitors are advised to produce the best water current for fish with caution.

This task would not have been possible without our remarkable aquarium manufacturing skills, extensive fish and water knowledge, established expertise covering electrical and mechanical engineering, and comprehensive knowledge in a wide range of fields. As it is inventive for visitors to enjoy aquariums while sitting, we are delighted that we can make it happen.

We pursue excellence by upskilling and enhancing product developments to innovate creations and services. Please feel free to contact us for inquiries if you have imaginative aquarium designs in your mind.

The Clothing Shop with Tropical Beach Decor

In the autumn of 2021, we installed a bar counter type Bird’s Eye Aquarium in K’s OCEAN, a higher-grade boutique in Sapporo, the epicenter of fashion in Hokkaido.

With a width and height of 1M, this bar counter aquarium acts as a reception counter in this clothing shop full of tropical beach decor. Fancy drinks are served to VIP guests on the counter, where tropical fish swim inside the aquarium, creating a relaxing tropical atmosphere effectively. Installed next to the cashier counter, it can be viewed from the side when the customer enters the shop and from above when they are paying the bill.

Creating a New Shopping Experience with Aquarium

It is common in the service industry that aquarium is helpful in reception. The same goes for hotels, restaurants, and clothing shops. While showcasing the fish at the bar counter, the customers enjoy not only drinks but a whole new shopping experience that they have never experienced before.

From the administrative point of view, the big filtration tank under the viewing tank ensures high filtration capacity, hence reducing the maintenance cost. The top glass plate and the lids of the filter space block the smell of fish, thus posing no issue to the fashion shop, as it is highly demanding in terms of cleanliness in the apparel industry. Although this Bird’s Eye Aquarium is rather big, the top glass plate can be raised and lowered by electric actuators with the flick of a switch. The staff working there is so impressed as this feature has facilitated her daily maintenance work like fish feeding and moss cleaning.

Walking On Clear Water and Watching Fish Swim under Feet

Opened in 1987, Sagamigawa Fureai Science Museum aims at strengthening the relationship between humans and Sagami River, as well as arising people’s awareness in protecting it. Acting as a common space for gathering, familiarizing, and learning Sagami River with fun, this aquarium was renovated in 2014, adding “Aquarium Sagamihara” in its name. It is now exhibiting about 100 species of creatures that inhabit in Sagami River.

In 2020, the Museum introduced a new plan to install Bird’s Eye Aquarium AYUMI, a new fish tank display possessing the concept of Bird’s Eye Aquarium to be embedded in the floor, so that visitors can enjoy seeing fish swiming right below. This new aquarium demonstrates the crystal clarity of Sagami River, allowing visitors to experience the pleasure of walking on water and fully enjoy fish swim under their feet.

The fish tank adopts a cylindrical design with a diameter of 3m and a water depth of 50cm. Its main body is composed of concrete blocks assembled on top of the foundation under the floor, which are formed with fibre-reinforced plastic (FRP) resin for waterproofing. Taking into consideration of easy feeding and maintenance, the top glass is divided into four pieces, which can be pushed upwards through the corresponding electric actuators. What’s more, thanks to the attachment of the highly-transparent PVC removable sheet and hard-coated gloss laminate on the top glass plate for scratch prevention, visitors can enjoy carefree walk on the tank surface.

Like other Bird’s Eye Aquariums, the top glass plate of AYUMI has seamless contact with the water surface, providing an immersive experience like observing the clear river using a box-shaped hydroscope.

Breaking through with Floor-Embeded Bird’s Eye Aquarium

Based on the principle of table-type Bird’s Eye Aquarium, it was theoretically possible to produce floor-embeded type Bird’s Eye Aquarium, so it was worth taking up the challenge. It was, however, our first time to manufacture a Bird’s Eye Aquarium with a diameter of 3m. It was of the utmost importance that the horizontal accuracy had to be maintained, and the works had to be carried out meticulously and precisely.

Normally, a huge aquarium with a display surface of about 3m x 3m is expensive because of the increasing thickness of the acrylic sheet. Bird’s Eye Aquarium AYUMI, however, is floor-embedded with a shallow water depth, it can withstand great water pressure even with thin sheets. What’s more, since fish is observed from above through the top glass plate, the main body can be made of FRP instead of acrylic. The cost can be kept down as a result.

How about setting up an aquarium with evolving functionality and timeless design to create a distinctive and captivating space to increase customer satisfaction?