Sumida Aquarium Posts 2026 Penguin Relationship Chart, with Drama and Breakups (opens in new tab)

I love the Sumida aquarium, but not so much for the penguins (to be honest the general state of animal care in Japan often leaves to be desired) - rather for the giant tanks at the very beginning [1], which were the last design work of Takashi Amano [2] and his company ADA (Aqua Design Amano) [3].

Amano made his money through professional cycling - but he funneled the profits towards another passion of his, aquariums. He loved aquatic life but found the state of aquariums in the 70s quite tacky; so he set out to design aquariums full of plant life, wood, and rocks that would mimic natural habitats as much possible, offering a peaceful, inspiring viewing experience - rather than tacky multicolored gravel and bubbling treasure chests.

His company designs and sells tools to support that vision. For instance, they manufacture gorgeous aquariums with no visible joints or support, glass inlets/outlets for pumps that are completely invisible when submerged, etc. To use a cliché, they're the Apple of aquariums.

They also organize the yearly International Aquatic Plants Layout Contest, which always features gorgeous designs. [4]

If you've heard of "aquascaping" (it's been growing in popularity the last few years), it's all thanks to this guy. Super inspiring.

[1] Their YouTube channel details the design process of the Sumida aquariums, here's the last episode of the series: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NP0Qk4DnLis

[2] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Takashi_Amano

[3] https://www.adana.co.jp/en/

[4] https://iaplc.com/gallery/en/

The one detail that always gets me with these charts: penguins who've just been broken up with will refuse to eat.

Also apparently one female ended six relationships in a single year, and the staff description of her, translated from Japanese, is something like "basically demonic."

And yes, some penguins have developed crushes on their caretakers. Which the aquarium has also charted. Professionally.

I tried to decipher the naming themes:

Festivals:

    - Tsuzumi = drum used in festivals
    - Taiko = drum used in festivals
    - Happi = clothes worn in festivals
    - Wasshoi = shout used in festivals
    - Hanabi = fireworks
    - Matsuri = festival
    - Chouchin = latern used in festivals
    - Bonbori = type of light used in hina festival
    

Food:

    - Monaka = bean paste filled snack
    - Ichigo = strawberry
    - Basil = culinary plant
    - Momoha = maybe derived from momonoha, which is a culinary plant
    - Peach = fruit
    - Akebi = fruit
    - Omochi = snack
    - Chanko = hot pot
    - Fuji = apple
    - Melon = fruit
    - Ohagi = snack
    - Sour = flavor
    - Yuzu = fruit
    - Ponzu sauce
    - Ramune = drink
    - Warabi = type of mochi
    - Yomogi = type of mochi
    - Daifuku = snack
    - Cookie = cookie
    - Ringo = apple
    - Potechi = potato chips
    - Cherry = fruit
    - Lime = fruit
    - Marron = chestnut
    - Kinako = soybean flour
    - Banana = fruit
    - Zunda = paste made from edamame
    - Suika = watermelon
    - Shiratama = snack
    - Cocoa = cocoa
    - Ame = candy
    - Choco = chocolate
    - Arare = snack
    - Anmitsu = bean paste snack
    - Anko = bean paste
    - Anzu = fruit
    - Macaron = snack
    - Koume = plum
    

Plants:

    - Pine = tree
    - Momiji = maple
    - Susuki = tree
    - Rose = flower
    - Tsumugi = flower
    - Nadeshiko = flower
    - Sakura = flower
    - Komari = flower
    - Aloe = plant
    - Ajisai = flower
    - Kiriko = flower
    - Azuma = plant

The names were collected roughly left to right. I was reading the Japanese version[1] so some of the romanizations might not match the English version.

[1] https://www.sumida-aquarium.com/special/sokanzu/

There’s a pretty great penguin colony site seeing area in Cape Town called Boulders Beach for those of you that happen to visit and are keen to see them up close.

Also this article is just great.

The aquarium is great, but when I was there I found the penguin exhibit a bit sad: it's completely indoors, the penguins will never see the sun or sky...

I took my mom there a few years ago, it is a really nice setup. If you’re in town, highly recommend.

Goodbye Zachary's Karate Club, hello Sumida Penguin Romance Chart!

Jeez… What’s a perso…er… penguin gotta do to have some privacy these days?

I would absolutely watch The Real Penguinwives of Sumida, and I bet a lot of other people would too!

Now I want this for London Zoo :-)