Some people may wonder what the art of bonsai has to do with aquariums? For the Japanese, the art of aquariums must have a tight, neat and orderly structure. For Westerners, aquariums may be present in their homes for the purpose of biological balance, not for aesthetics. In this article, I will explain and present the rules of this hobby in Japan, and a little more about the means and tools to serve that passion. It was not until the early 80s of the last century that aquariums became popular and became a trend. The Japanese have long known how to skillfully arrange the layout with aquatic plants in aquariums. And why not? It is like people copying the plants in a forest in miniature, then decorating it with flowers and leaves in no particular order. Therefore, it is not surprising that some of the most beautiful aquarium layouts in the world come from the Land of the Rising Sun. Some Japanese aquarists have even brought this art into Western culture, the most typical of which are Takashi Amano and Doshin Kobayashi. These two people have done an important thing by raising the value of aquatic (freshwater) plants to a new level. Why have they had such a great influence on this hobby?
The simple and specific answer is: Design and style .
If someone wants to dissect and analyze the design and style of Japanese-style aquascapes, he or she must know a little more about Japanese beliefs, culture and society. You may think that these things do not play any role in the so-called aquascape, but in the land of the rising sun, these three elements are the foundation of everything in life. From a complex business transaction to something as simple as placing a plant in an aquascape, these three elements always play a role. Let me explain as follows:
Basically, religious beliefs in Japan are a mixture of Buddhism and Shintoism with a little bit of Christianity added in. Japanese society has a class division between the nobility and the common people. This can be seen in the use of a certain type of plant as a focal point, creating a dominant majority in the aquascape, for example, creating a vegetation carpet (grass carpet) with Glossostigma Elatinoides, then using plants of the Rotala family planted off-center as an accent.
The influence of Zen Buddhism has been deeply ingrained in the Japanese way of arranging and placing aquatic plants. For example, the number of large rocks used for decoration in the tank must be an odd number such as 1, 3, 5, etc. The number 4 is also an unlucky number in Japan because in Japanese the number 4 (shi) is homophonous with the word Tu (death). The approach to Zen is very abstract and difficult to describe. The study of Zen itself is also drawn from nature, so it is not surprising that Zen has had a profound influence on the art of creating aquascapes.
Takashi Amano once said about the influence of Zen like this, “It is difficult to explain, describe in words the influence of Zen in the art of creating aquascapes. When arranging an aquascape, we are not simply recreating or copying a certain habitat, but creating, evoking emotions for the viewer. It is a living art in which the aquarium is likened to a canvas for painting and the player plays the role of a creative artist. The aquarium is a work of art with a natural style or an impressionistic style like in paintings.
The Zen style of aquascaping cannot be taught but must be experienced through contemplation. How to learn how to create aquascaping like Amano? That requires the ability (innate?) to feel nature, and many years of failure. Many books on Japanese gardening are of the “should and must buy” or “pillow book” type, but unfortunately there is not a single paragraph about aquascaping. Those books only talk about Japanese bonsai, landscape gardens, rock gardens, sand gardens, and Japanese miniature gardens. To be able to grasp the spirit of Japanese aquascaping, one must perfect one’s knowledge of all styles, designs, and shapes of Japanese gardens. Takashi Amano has been asked by many people how he created such an aquascaping, and the answer is always…understanding nature and more! That is a gifted person but cannot express it in words. Actually, there are many ways to imitate Mother Nature, each person will find his own path.
Japanese culture is built on the foundation of customs and rules. These are not simply laws set by the government to govern, but customary laws. These customary laws are always strictly followed in Japan. Those who do not obey will be ostracized by society. In my view of life, that is the origin of the spirit of discipline that the Japanese have applied in maintaining their beautiful aquariums. Because everything in Japan is usually small in scale and size (compared to XL or XXL in the West), maintaining and maintaining a microscopic world is inherently not difficult. I also believe that an average beginner in Japan tends to research and study the hobby thoroughly before jumping into the world of aquatic plants. I say this based on the abundance of aquarium magazines in Japan. That says more about the Japanese need to read than about the availability of supporting media. It is difficult to distinguish between a bookstore and a library in Japan. Both places are similar in that they are always crowded, always full of people reading, but few buy.
Another reason why Japanese aquarists have a better understanding of the hobby is because of the highly skilled and knowledgeable staff at the aquarium shops. In the US, it is common to see assistants at aquarium shops who are teenagers, with no idea of the type of substrate suitable for aquatic plants. On top of that, the supply of aquatic plants in the US is very poor. In Japan, almost everyone who works at aquarium shops is very knowledgeable about aquatic plants. If you try to bait them with a tricky question, they will probably try to find the answer for you in some high-end aquarium magazine. As for the supply of high-quality aquatic plants (of foreign origin), there is no doubt that they are the best in the world, and you can find them in some stores in Japan. Not to mention the abundant supply of native aquatic plants.
Another thing about the Japanese is their perseverance and dedication to almost anything they do. That dedication is also shown in the aquarium hobby. As you know, maintaining an aquarium with aquatic plants is very difficult. Of course, there are many new players in Japan who throw in the towel (like the rules of martial arts, the side that feels disadvantageous and wants to lose while their fighter is still fighting will throw the towel on the ring as a signal) the first time their aquarium is ravaged by algae, but most are steadfast. Most aquarium stores in Japan offer a wide variety of products. Everything from Dupla, Dennerle and Tropica is available. If you can't find a product from the above three brands, there are similar domestic products produced by Mr. Amano, ADA. The price is high of course, but the quality really is worth it. Aqua Design Amano (ADA) is the brand with the most widely used products in Japan.
Another reason why Japanese aquarists have a better understanding of the hobby is because of the highly skilled and knowledgeable staff at the aquarium shops. In the US, it is common to see assistants at aquarium shops who are teenagers, with no idea of the type of substrate suitable for aquatic plants. On top of that, the supply of aquatic plants in the US is very poor. In Japan, almost everyone who works at aquarium shops is very knowledgeable about aquatic plants. If you try to bait them with a tricky question, they will probably try to find the answer for you in some high-end aquarium magazine. As for the supply of high-quality aquatic plants (of foreign origin), there is no doubt that they are the best in the world, and you can find them in some stores in Japan. Not to mention the abundant supply of native aquatic plants.
Another thing about the Japanese is their perseverance and dedication to almost anything they do. That dedication is also shown in the aquarium hobby. As you know, maintaining an aquarium with aquatic plants is very difficult. Of course, there are many new players in Japan who throw in the towel (like the rules of martial arts, the side that feels disadvantageous and wants to lose while their fighter is still fighting will throw the towel on the ring as a signal) the first time their aquarium is ravaged by algae, but most are steadfast. Most aquarium stores in Japan offer a wide variety of products. Everything from Dupla, Dennerle and Tropica is available. If you can't find a product from the above three brands, there are similar domestic products produced by Mr. Amano, ADA. The price is high of course, but the quality really is worth it. Aqua Design Amano (ADA) is the brand with the most widely used products in Japan.
Singapore is the supplier of aquatic plants to Japan and most countries in the world. But Tropica is also a major supplier to the Japanese market. Most of the species coming from Singapore are aquatic mosses, shrubs, and stem plants. Meanwhile, the species that Tropica supplies are Crypts, Sword plants (Echidonorus) and many other endemic aquatic plants. Some large stores in Tokyo also supply plants from both Tropica and Dennerle. The victims/prey of these stores are aquarists with money to burn. Although the prices are sky-high, sometimes the goods are not the best. The trend of aquatic plant stores in Japan is to provide algae-free aquatic plants. That is my opinion after visiting about a dozen stores in the Kanto region. Of course, my favorite shop is still the one in my neighborhood called Aqua Opa. The owner, Mr. Kamimura, is the nicest, most personable person I have ever met. If he doesn't have the plant you want, he will immediately help you by calling brokers here and there to see if they have it. It usually takes about a week for any individual order. Prices range from very cheap to very expensive. Tokyo is not the place to buy aquatic plants. In Tokyo, the bushes are smaller and the prices are higher. Potted plants are always smaller than those sold in shops far from the big cities. But the supply is more abundant.
Perhaps I am looking too deeply into this hobby based on my own perspective, but the social factors in Japan have really influenced the art of creating aquatic plants in this country. I myself just want to introduce the Japanese style of aquatic art to enthusiasts, and even beginners.
Author Ryan Stover, 25, lived in Yokosuka, Japan for 5 years while serving at the US Navy base there. Stover has over 10 years of experience in the aquascaping industry, having set up dozens of aquariums during his time in Japan. Check out his website, suiso.com
Ryan Stover
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