At this Tokyo museum, 30,000 goldfish become living works of art

In Japan, the goldfish is more than just a pet. It's also a symbol of peace, prosperity and luck, which is why more than 30,000 of them are being gathered together in Tokyo as part of an exhibition.

At the in Tokyo's Nihonbashi neighbourhood, the lucky fish are placed in glass aquariums in various shapes that are lit up with different colours - for example, a pink-lit lotus flower or a dodecahedral aquarium that produces a prismatic effect.

The artist behind the exhibition, Hidetomo Kimura, says that he views the fish, called kingyo in Japanese, as living artworks, according to Tokyo's tourism office - which is clear when you view the works.

One of the most impressive works is called the Super Oiran, which features an enormous fishbowl surrounded by 17 aquariums and holds about 3,000 goldfish.

According to the museum, the 3.5m high piece, whose name refers to a highly ranked sex worker during the Edo period, is the largest one ever exhibited at the Art Aquarium. - dpa