"Paralichthys olivaceus" (olive flounder or hirame in Japanese)
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Have you seen such things before? They look like specimens of small fish and animals. Yet somehow, their flesh is transparent and their bones translucent.
Special chemicals are used to make muscles transparent, while cartilage and hard bone are stained blue and red respectively. This creates a three-dimensional specimen that, when put under light, takes on an almost illusory beauty. Originally used for scientific research, these specimens have recently received much media attention and become famous across Japan.
"Pagrus major" (red seabream/ snapper or madai in Japanese)
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Drawn by their beauty, Satoshi Matsumae from the Aquatainment Company in east Osaka is currently working hard at commercialising transparent skeletal specimens. He has loved animals since young, and used to work in an veterinary hospital. After a number of trials and setbacks he finally entered university, where he was destined to meet these wonderful objects. The more he studied, the more Matsumae came to think that the beauty of these specimens would be wasted if they were used only for research purposes. He thus decided to set up a business to introduce this product to the public.
transparent skeletal specimens in jars
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The company is currently working to develop a ‘new resource recycling business model’ through industrial, government and academic collaborations. This is a business model built on the principle of recycling fish refuse and leftover samples in the fisheries industry. Products are delivered as educational materials and interiors.
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The company is also striving to use transparent skeletal specimens to create innovative, never before seen products. These include interior design products that use these specimens in combination with indirect illumination, as well as photo-and-video displays for stores and building interiors. In addition, specimens will be enclosed in resin to create accessories such as earrings and buttons.
Using fish-related waste from around the world as raw material, the company is looking for ways to extend its endeavours beyond Japan. It hopes to further explore creative ways of using transparent specimens, and achieve this by bringing its ‘new aquatic resource model’ overseas.
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Australia and Japan are strongly linked through their fishing industries in wild tuna and luxury foods like lobster and abalone. Thus in extending its Japanese style ‘waste-fish business model’ overseas, Matsumae would like to start with Australia, showing its people just how wonderful these transparent skeletal specimens can be.
Aquatainment
Translation: Irene Han
