The Sky Aquarium intersperses art among fish tanks and utilizes fish tanks and their occupants as art – it is more like a living museum of modern art than a traditional aquarium.  The views of the city aren’t bad either!

Last year, the fish cavorted about within a folding screen with superimposed shadows and colors that changed.  I was mesmerized!

This year the fish swim in Japanese lanterns with similar lighting and shadow effects and can be seen in an aquatic staircase in the Japonism Gallery.

In Go swim with fishes high in the sky, The Japan Times reviewed the event and describes the six zones of illusion in this years exhibit as follows:

• The Caribbean Blue Hole is a large transparent fish tank that can be viewed from the top, around its circumference, or even the bottom.
• The Art Aquarium Gallery where fish tanks are transformed into art by ten artists using materials from the sea.
• The Fantasia zone features jellyfish and colored lasers
• The Japonism Gallery, described above
• In Kaleidorium you can view the tanks as if through a kaleidoscope
• The Prisrium features fish swimming about in a tank shaped like a multifaceted diamond.

If you are visiting the city and are looking for a great view of the skyline, an aquarium and an art gallery all rolled into one then Tokyo City View is the place to be.  If you miss Sky Aquarium III, Mori Tower still worth a visit, just make a sojourn to the Mori Art Museum located in the same complex to get your fill of contemporary art.

Sky Aquarium III Event Details

Event Dates: July 17th – October 4th, 2009

Times: 11AM – Midnight weedays & Sundays (last admission 11:30PM) – Fridays & Saturdays 11AM – 1AM  (last admission midnight)

Admission: Y2,300 (Includes admission to Tokyo City View Observations Deck & Mori Art Museum)

Access: A short walk from Tokyo Metro Roppongi Station. (Mori Tower Access Map)

Image Credit: Flickr, Mori Tower View 2 & Personal Collection