Interview with Mr. Shimomura Minoru, Director of the Kyoto Aquarium, "I want you to know the goodness of familiar creatures"

The "Kyoto Aquarium" that appeared in the Kyoto basin without sea opened as an aquarium where you can see about 250 sea and river fish and animals up close, with the concept of "Connect with water," as concept, in March 2016 It is celebrating its 4th anniversary. Regarding the efforts being held at the Kyoto Aquarium and the events held every season, we have been talking to the director, Mr. Minoru Shimomura.

Kyoto Aquarium
http://www.kyoto-aquarium.com/

GIGAZINE (hereinafter, G):
First of all, what I want to ask is whether Mr. Shimomura was taken over by the director of the Kyoto aquarium, or how did it get down to Mr. Shimomura to the director? Do you feel that you were working at the aquarium from the beginning, gradually became the director from there?

Minoru Shimomura, Kyoto Aquarium Center Director (Shimomura):
That's true in that sense. Before coming to Kyoto aquarium, it is located in OsakaOsakaI was involved in the aquarium called Kaiyukan from the establishment stage before the opening of the Osaka Aquarium.

G:
That's right!

Shimomura:
At the Osaka kaikan, we had been doing the breeding staff of the whale sharks all the time. I came to the Kyoto aquarium four to five years ago and assumed office in September 2014 inheriting from the predecessor director.

G:
Having been to the Kyoto aquarium 4 or 5 years ago, did the Kyoto aquarium also worked before the opening of the aquarium?

Shimomura:
It might be about a year and a half after opening.


G:
I see. When opening the Kyoto aquarium, Mr. Shigeru Sakakibara(PDF file)Inaugurated as the first directorAlthough it was being done, it was the impression that it was on behalf of Mr. Shimomura-san unexpectedly. What was Kikake which Shimomura decided to work at the Ocean Auditorium?

Shimomura:
If I speak, it is long ... (laugh). I always liked creatures, and the university went to Kinki University and was doing a lot of studying fish relations. When I was a college student, I was doing an event shop for a long time.

G:
What is an event shop?

Shimomura:
I was doing something like a "big Amazon exhibition" or a moving aquarium like a student's venture company.

G:
Originally I liked living things, that means that I got into this occupation.

Shimomura:
That's right. When I was a student, I started a company with about three people. Although it is few at the present time, when it was summer vacation 20 to 30 years ago from now on, I was doing exhibitions such as "large Amazon exhibition" and "African exhibition" at big department stores and so on. Even in Kyoto, we brought some animals such as common marmosets, Wolverine lemurs, capybara, and so on.

G:
Nowadays it is not uncommon for such events. At the latest, at ATC Hall in Osaka Nanko "Reptiles Fever 2016I saw that I was doing an event called "The event. How can we collect living things during such events?

Shimomura:
The creatures brought in what they kept at home and what they kept within their friends.

G:
Well! That is amazing.

Shimomura:
Originally I liked living things, I arranged 40 to 50 aquariums at home and kept various creatures. In addition, I borrowed from acquaintances, I was doing in such a form.

G:
How many creatures did you keep at home?

Shimomura:
If you put all, about 100 to 200 kinds. Because I liked fish and amphibian reptiles, it alone kept 100 to 200 kinds.

G:
It seems to be hard to take care of ... ....

Shimomura:
It was very. In the morning I got up at 4 o'clock and I got up at 5 o'clock, and I had to live a life of living things all the way through the middle of the night. It's been a while since I was little.


G:
What kind of work do you usually do? Also, what is the point of feeling rewarding in the director's job?

Shimomura:
While grasping the attractions of the Kyoto Aquarium and the state of the exhibition, I am constantly thinking about what the aquarium in the future should be. From the usual day through the experience program in the hall, while actually talking with customers or doing activities with the local community, let me tell you the charm of the creatures and get interested in living creatures and feel the connection of life I am making a chance. It is one of the places where you feel challenging to have fun talking with customers as familiar director who often talks to children and various people when going out to the hall.

G:
What is the point of hardship where the director's job is doing?

Shimomura:
What will I do ... What kind of aquarium do you think so, but what is it doing for you? I'm thinking of wanting to see the interest of living beings, or to tell the customers about their interests. But, it does not quite get it well. That is our responsibility and there is absolutely no responsibility for the customer. There are many parts that have not been communicated yet, so I think that there will be a hard time forever. I am glad that you would be happy if you are a little bit interested in such things such as nature conservation, environmental problems, "Let's take care of life" for a moment by having them know about living things. So it is our responsibility to know that it has not been transmitted quite easily.

G:
If you are going to exhibit it carefully, you mean to tell the living things and nature to the customers.

Shimomura:
I think that I want to manage somehow, but I think that it is still more difficult to say.

G:
This summer event, and in April 2016, the area including the large aquariumRenewal openIs it the concept of letting customers know about nature and living things, such as to do new things?

First day report of the new area "Kyoto no Oka" in Kyoto aquarium, Sakana Kun himself collected in the sea of ​​Kyoto - GIGAZINE


Shimomura:
Basically, of course it is. However, since we want people who have less opportunities to contact with nature and living things as much as usual, we are planning to be an event that will encourage such people to come.


G:
It is a difficult place to balance.

Shimomura:
it's difficult. I am thinking if I also want to know living things while doing amusement.

G:
At the Kyoto Aquarium, using a high performance water-saving filtration system,It supplies about 1% of aquarium waterAnd, is there any other seawater brought from the ocean?

Shimomura:
No, it is not. Kyoto aquarium is doing it with 100% artificial seawater. The aquarium is usually at the seaside and it offers you all you can do sea water from the sea nearby and you can flush it, but since the Kyoto aquarium does not do so, I use artificial seawater. Usually in the general aquarium I change the water 30 to 40% a day, but in the Kyoto aquarium I changed the water conversion rate very low to 1 to 3%, adding enough water added I have a living thing.

G:
What is reduced?

Shimomura:
For example, if you are a dolphin, the dolphin swam and overflowed from the pool and the pool. After all, there is a part that flows out at the stage of the filtration system by all means. It will evaporate from it.


G:
Freshwater creatures are also exhibited in the Kyoto Aquarium, but are there any difficulties in breeding seawater and freshwater?

Shimomura:
Both are tough as long as it is difficult, and there are not many people. There is not much difference between fresh water and seawater as toughness to keep living things. However, there is merit that fresh water can change water immediately.


G:
When I visit the Kyoto aquarium on weekdays, it is impressive that children in elementary school and kindergarten have visited a lot of society tours, but are there many children as customers as well?

Shimomura:
I am wondering if there are many families. I do not think that it is likely that there will be many customers in the family group because children will not come so easily.

G:
There are certainly many families with young children.

Shimomura:
I agree. Thankfully.

G:
Will renewal and new exhibition etc. be planned in the future, following the renewal of the large aquarium and the establishment of this new zoogma park?


Shimomura:
There is. Renewal is obviously such a facility, so I think that I must do it without fail. However, it costs quite a bit of money to make new ones. For example, the large aquarium of the "Kyoto sea" did not create new facilities in particular. I think that it will be renewed in the future, but as the concept of the original Kyoto aquarium, it is an aquarium in Kyoto so that I will bring creatures that can basically understand the local nature of Kyoto.

"Summer garden turtle park" is a desire to see nature at feet only, to know. It is naturally wonderful to exhibit live creatures such as the Amazon, the African Continent and Antarctica, and to think about the distant foreign land, but before that, in particular, with the land pattern of Kyoto, where we live more I think that it is better to rethink the familiar nature.


G:
I think that exposure of the director is increasing more than before, such as "the director's elephant classroom", but are these events involved from the planning stage?

Shimomura:
Young children of the plan think about the draft and talk from there and make it together.

G:
Do you usually go out to the hall?

Shimomura:
I think that I will leave as much as possible.

Mr. Shimomura, who is consulting with the rearing staff about the exhibits inside the building.


G:
In the exhibition of Kyoto aquarium, where is the director's recommendation?

Shimomura:
Well .... It's hard to decide that one place. Because everyone has a child in charge, I can not say one place. It will be a truly literate answer, but now it is limited to the summer "dolphins and splash !!" or "Zoogame Park." I only want summer to do so I want you to see it. Because there are exhibits corresponding to the four seasons, that is the highlight, I recommend.

Kyoto Aquarium Public Relations Team Hiroki Tsuda (hereinafter Tsuda)
Kyoto aquarium does not put things like "This creature guess!" Since there is a desire to see the creatures of all the exhibits, if you do not want to put this creature on the main, and you want to find it while watching the exhibits at everyone. As the state of living things and seasons of nature change considerably, I think that you can enjoy such places as well. I think that one of the attractions is that the points and the points that you can enjoy depending on the timing of arrival are different.

Shimomura:
I think that it is interesting if you visit the exhibition about the exhibition as well. For example, I think that you will be able to see it by all means because I think that it is not easy to see such big turtle near the Giant Tortoise Park. "Director's Giant Tortoise Classroom" and "Fish Market of the Director of the House" are held everyday, so I feel like "when I will not be absent" (laugh). It is not a painting-like program, but to some extent a living thing opponent, I think that it can be enjoyed by doing unexpected behaviors. In Kyoto aquarium I will also give you food, but I'd like to say, "Why are these creatures eating this food, what do you like?" Or "How are you eating", or deeper so far, like reading textbooks I think that I want to be able to listen to fun rather than a story as usual. Because I think that it is disgusting when human beings are taught, I think that you should listen happily in a matter of time, thinking "I was so, yeah, not being taught".

Tsuda:
The distance between the director and the customer is really close.

Shimomura:
I am trying to bring my face closer (laugh). I would be happy if you would come and visit us during summer vacation.


G:
Events are pushing for the summer vacation! Thank you for today.