ADA Nature Aquarium Gallery
The ADA Nature Aquarium Gallery is a gallery with beautifully arranged aquariums for domestic use. ADA stands for Aqua Design Amano, a company created by photographer, designer and aquarist Amano Takashi. He is one of the most influential people in the freshwater aquascaping community.
I visited the gallery in August, 2010.
The easiest way to get to the gallery from Tokyo is by taking the Shinkansen to Niigata Station, and then switch to a bus.
Love these views with countless of rail tracks and wires.
Some kind of event going on right outside the station.
Most buses in Japan works so that you step on at the back of the bus, and grab a ticket with a number on it from the machine. When you're steping off, you look at your number and at the board to tell how much you need to pay. Then you step off at the front door, putting money into the machine next to the driver first.
Paddies as far as the eye can see.
The bus stop seems to be in the middle of nowhere.
The ADA Nature Aquarium Gallery is located behind the bushes in the middle of this picture. The bus ride is about one hour from Niigata Station.
The sign to the aquarium is all faded and very hard to see.
The entrance to the ADA Nature Aquarium Gallery. The entrance is free, but they ask you to fill out a form of what you think about it. It's only open on weekends.
The first aquarium that greets you when you enter.
ADA makes some kind of special filters and powders which make the water better in some way.
Anyone who likes aquariums and especially aquascaping will find this gallery interesting and inspiring.
Aquascaping isn't so much about the fishes that you keep in the aquarium. It's more about the arrange of aquatic plants, rocks, stones, caves, and driftwood. It's like gardening under water.
A few of their tools on display. ADA tools aren't cheap.
Small ones along the windows, and different tools on display.
When I was about to leave the gallery, I asked the person in charge if he knew when the next bus to Niigata leaves. He gladly gave me the times, and also offered to drive me to another bus stop if that was more convenient for me. The time was about 30 minutes before closing time, so I'd have to wait until then. I appreciated his offer but decided to take the earlier bus back.
I wish I had the money to purchase the ADA tanks and equipment, not to mentions some of the things that they have yet to offer outside of japan such as wabikusa plants or kits, however it's just too expensive for me at the moment, but I do love their sophisticated looks. Would love to see some of Amano's displays in person someday; very vibrant in colors, selection of plants, and the scape and perspective is just a sight to behold-even in picture. I can't even wonder how it would look in person.