Japan’s aquarium boasts of largest collection of jellyfish in the world

With 60 different varieties of jellyfish, Kamo Aquarium in Japan's Yamagata Prefecture houses one of the largest collection of jellyfish species in the world. Holding two percent of the global 3000 jellyfish varieties, the aquarium receives more than two million visitors every year. A prominent feature of the exhibit is the Jellyfish Dream Theatre, or the Kurage Dream Theatre, measuring five meters in diameter, where about 2000 Moon Jellies float. Kamo Aquarium also has an active educational programme, where jellyfish seminars are held daily by the staff, covering topics such as breeding and the species' diet. Kazuya Okuizumi, the aquarium director, said the jellyfish breeding began coincidentally in 1997 when a coral exhibit started producing a type of Cassiopeia jellyfish on its own. The collection began with boats being regularly dispatched to the sea behind Kamo Aquarium to catch as many types of jellyfish as possible. Okuizumi added that he hopes to be able to breed more rare types of deep-sea jellyfish in the future.