New species name labels for the "Seaweed Forest" tank
August 14, 2026
Did you know that near the tanks at Tokyo Sea Life Park, there are "species name labels" that show the names of the creatures inside? The aquarium displays species name labels for virtually all the creatures on display in the tanks so that visitors can easily identify them.
The species name labels are basically magnetic so that they can be easily replaced whenever you take creatures in or out of the tank.
However, the "Seaweed Forest" tank still used the old system where flat labels were inserted into a holder from the side, which presented challenges such as the need to remove the lid when inserting or removing labels, and limited space for displaying labels.
Therefore, we decided to update the species name label holders for the "Seaweed Forest" tank so that species name labels can be attached with magnets. We also decided to create new species name labels themselves to make the exhibit easier for visitors to understand.
Previously, we used photos of the seaweed in the tank with a background, but this made it difficult to distinguish the characteristics of each type of seaweed, and it was hard to identify which seaweed belonged to which species. Therefore, we decided to take photos of new seaweed before placing it in the tank whenever it was brought in.
We took care to ensure that the characteristics of each species were clearly conveyed during the photography. For example, there are two types of seaweed, Arame and Kajime, that look similar at first glance in an aquarium. However, Arame has a characteristic that Kajime does not: its leaf-like parts (the parts that look like plant leaves) are forked. To make this difference easily visible on the label, we carefully spread them out and photographed them from directly above.
Since the flash light would reflect off the seaweed if it hit it directly, I aimed the flash at the ceiling and used the reflected light. Also, to prevent shadows, I used a transparent board and a juice can to create distance from the floor, and to make it easier to cut out the photos, I laid paper on the floor to create a white background for the shoot.
As a result, we were able to create species name labels that clearly show the characteristics of each species.
We are currently creating "information labels" that explain the role of seaweed in the ecosystem and how to distinguish between different species. These labels will be posted as soon as they are completed. Please take the time to carefully observe the seaweed while referring to the easy-to-understand species labels.
[Sophie Kato, Education and Outreach Tokyo Sea Life Park]