So Many Goldfish

Fancy!

So word on the street had it that Nihombashi Matsui Hall was holding an exhibit showcasing goldfish as modern art. Nihombashi's actually one metro station down from where I live. Sweet deal, right? Let's spend an otherwise empty Saturday morning checking what all the talk is about. I can dig goldfish. I own two. They're named Cabin and With.
 And hey, as it turns out,  the goldfish (or Kingyo as they're called in Japanese) exhibit is actually worth its 10 bucks. Sure as hell, as you'd expect on a Saturday during its opening hour, it was crowded as all hell and worst. But the exposition itself was quite spectacular, featuring somewhere between 20 to 30 different types of goldfish (I didn't know there were any more than five different kinds) in a variety of eye catching or innovative arrangements, complete with complimentary lighting effects. It really made for a rich mood, and I'd imagine it'd have been quite different if not for the crowd.

WHAT IS THE MEANING TO OUR LIVES?

As it turns out, goldfish have always been featured more or less prominently in Japanese art (though not as much as their big cousin the koi fish.) Many examples of old woodblock paintings were put up to help establish the point.
 Nowadays in Japan goldfish appear in different places through different mediums. Why just the other day I was walking down a street where one of the restaurants had them in flower pots outside. It got me wondering whether the same, or this whole exhibit, could ever be seen in North America and still hold the same meaning or catch the same audience.
 I've got to say I enjoyed the hour I spent in the hall altogether, with the highlight probably being the fountain piece pictured above.
On a side note, if you're in Tokyo, the exhibit's up until the third week of September or so! They also serve alcohol in the evening, though I'd stake my money drinks aren't cheap.