![]() ![]() Goldfish were bred in Japan to have long, elegant fins to reflect the Edo-period’s floating aesthetic.Įlsewhere, locals and tourists alike flock to an annual exhibition called Art Aquarium held in Japan, which features goldfish swimming around in globes, spheres, and other tanks in assorted geometric shapes. ![]() It included woodblock prints that usually depicted the cities’ pleasure districts during that time. Ukiyo could mean either ‘floating world’ or ‘sad and troubled world,’ and describes the urban lifestyle of Japan’s Edo period. During this time, as a love for culture prospered, the goldfish found its way into Japanese art - particularly in a genre known as ukiyo-e. In the Muromachi period in the 1500s, when China first introduced goldfish to Japan, trade between the two nations also boomed. It’s difficult for the fish to survive the intense winter in the northernmost of Japan’s main islands. The popularity of the goldfish is so big that batches of them are brought over from Tokyo to Hokkaido at the beginning of every summer. ![]() “Coincidentally, my pet goldfish that saved me from quitting as an artist was also from these goldfish-scooping booths,” says Fukahori. Different varieties are cultivated almost all over the country, but most extensively in Tokyo, and Yamatokoriyama in Nara Prefecture.Įvery year, in the heat of August, summer festivals pop up across most cities and kingyo-sukui – a traditional game, dating from the Edo period that challenges players to scoop up live goldfish with a paper ladle – are still a common sight at summer festivals now. Since then, goldfish have been a fan favourite among the people of Japan. “I think part of the fascination is the initial association with the elites and aristocrats, but it became popular for its aesthetics, for its colouring and perceived grace of its movement,” Tanaka says. It was also around this time that goldfish became popular among everyday people. By the 19th Century, the Edo military government was brought to an end, ushering in the Meiji period, an overture to modern Japan.īy this time, the country had started to industrialise and open up to western cultures paintings became a blend of traditional styles and modern influences pottery, textiles and other crafts gradually made way for mass produced items. “The ideal colour was a vermillion with a goldish glint, and in Japan this colour combination was doubly lucky: the gold represented wealth, and the colour red was used to dispel illness or misfortune,” says Kathryn Tanaka, an associate professor in the department of Cultural and Historical Studies at Otemae University in Japan.īy the mid-Edo Period, between 1603-1868, goldfish had become popular pets, but their allure was reserved only for aristocrats. Like China, the goldfish serves as a symbol of wealth, fortune, and good luck. The result is a natural shadow as if cast by the painting of the goldfish, which shimmers under the surface, almost like they are alive and swimming.Ĭhinese traders first brought goldfish to Japan in 1502, and sold them to the samurai and nobility as highly prized pets. Layer upon layer of clear resin cover three-dimensional figures of goldfish painted in piecemeal on to the acrylics. His creations can take upwards of two months to complete. He’s famous both in Japan and overseas, even though after he first left art school, he had no interest in goldfish at all. ![]() Today Fukahori’s name is synonymous with goldfish because of his distinct style of three-dimensional goldfish art. ![]()
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