- Title: Japan's aquarium boasts largest collection of jellyfish in the world
- Date: 7th June 2017
- Summary: TSURUOKA, JAPAN (JUNE 6, 2017) (REUTERS) EXTERIOR OF KAMO AQUARIUM SIGN READING (English): "KURANETARIUM" - A WORD PLAY ON "KURAGE" WHICH MEANS JELLYFISH, AND PLANETARIUM VISITORS VIEWING JELLYFISH MOON JELLYFISH FLOATING INSIDE THE TANK VARIOUS OF VISITORS VIEWING THE JELLYFISH VARIOUS OF JELLYFISH FLOATING IN THE TANK VISITORS VIEWING JELLYFISH JELLYFISH IN THE TANK / VISITORS WALKING JELLYFISH IN THE TANK VISITORS VIEWING THE JELLYFISH JELLYFISH FLOATING IN THE TANK (SOUNDBITE) (Japanese) 63-YEAR OLD AQUARIUM VISITOR FROM NIIGATA PREFECTURE, SEIKO OGURO, SAYING: "It's dream-like. I've never seen anything like this. It was like neon." (SOUNDBITE) (English) AQUARIUM VISITOR FROM MIAMI, FLORIDA, LAUREN ROSEACOSTA, SAYING: "I think they are beautiful. To me, they kinda look like they are dancing in space but except in water." VISITORS LISTENING TO A JELLYFISH SEMINAR AQUARIUM STAFF FEEDING PLANKTON TO THE ONE-DAY-OLD JELLYFISH, DISPLAYED ON TV MONITOR TV MONITOR SHOWING ONE-DAY-OLD JELLYFISH EATING PLANKTON VISITORS WATCHING AQUARIUM STAFF POINTING TO THE TANK, WHERE A LARGER JELLYFISH USES ITS TENTACLES TO LURE A SMALLER JELLYFISH INTO ITS MOUTH JELLY FISH COUPLE VIEWING THE TANK THROUGH A MAGNIFYING GLASS WOMAN VIEWING THE TANK THROUGH A MAGNIFYING GLASS AQUARIUM STAFF FEEDING THE JELLYFISH ONE-DAY OLD JELLYFISH INSIDE TANK (SOUNDBITE) (Japanese) AQUARIUM DIRECTOR, KAZUYA OKUIZUMI, SAYING: "After we renovated the (aquarium) site, we were able to receive more than 700,000 visitors during the first year. We are very grateful that our visitors have continued to increase simply due to the beauty of jellyfish." VARIOUS OF JELLYFISH IN THE TANK (SOUNDBITE) (Japanese) AQUARIUM DIRECTOR, KAZUYA OKUIZUMI, SAYING: "I have already collected every type of jellyfish that I've wanted to see. My next step is to look for deep-sea jellyfish that will be very difficult to take care of. That is what I am aiming for." VISITORS SEATED AT THE AQUARIUM'S CAFE SIGN READING (Japanese): "JELLYFISH SOFT CREAM" CAFE STAFF SERVING JELLYFISH ICE CREAM CONE TO A VISITOR DIFFERENT FLAVORED JELLYFISH ICE CREAM ON DISPLAY (SOUNDBITE) (Japanese) AQUARIUM VISITOR FROM AKITA PREFECTURE, NORIYUKI FUJIWARA, SAYING: "It's a very strange texture. I'm eating soft cream but there is this very soft texture that tastes very delicious." JELLYFISH BITS PLACED AROUND ICE CREAM CONE VISITORS LOOKING AT THE JELLYFISH VARIOUS OF JELLYFISH FLOATING INSIDE THE TANK
- Embargoed: 21st June 2017 09:41
- Keywords: sea creatures Yamagata prefecture aquarium jellyfish Japan
- Location: TSURUOKA, JAPAN
- City: TSURUOKA, JAPAN
- Country: Japan
- Topics: Arts / Culture / Entertainment,Human Interest / Brights / Odd News
- Reuters ID: LVA0016KA2ZX5
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text:With 60 different varieties of jellyfish, Kamo aquarium in Japan's Yamagata Prefecture houses one of the largest collection of jellyfish species in the world.
Holding two percent of the global 3000 jellyfish varieties, the aquarium receives more than two million visitors every year.
A prominent feature of the exhibit is the Jellyfish Dream Theatre, or the Kurage Dream Theatre, measuring five meters in diameter, where about 2000 Moon Jellies float.
Many visitors said they were mesmerized by the aquatic creatures' movements.
"I think they are beautiful. To me, they kinda look like they are dancing in space but except in water," said Lauren Roseacosta, who was visiting from Miami Florida.
Kamo aquarium also has an active educational programme, where jellyfish seminars are held daily by the staff, covering topics such as breeding and the species' diet.
Kazuya Okuizumi, the aquarium director, said the jellyfish breeding began coincidentally in 1997, when a coral exhibit started producing a type of cassiopeian jellyfish on its own.
The collection began with boats being regularly dispatched to the sea behind Kamo aquarium to catch as many types of jellyfish as possible.
Okuizumi added that he hopes to be able to breed more rare types of deep-sea jellyfish in the future.
Live jellyfish aren't the only attraction, visitors are able to have a taste of edible jellyfish bits in their ice cream, which are available at the aquarium's cafe.
"It's a very strange texture. I'm eating soft cream but there is this very soft texture that tastes very delicious," said Noriyuki Fujiwara, an aquarium visitor. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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