Get Ready To Chill Out At Japan's Ice Aquarium

Visitors and residents trying to escape the sweltering summer heat of Kesennuma, Japan, now have a perfect place to visit - The Kori no Suizkukan or Ice Aquarium, where the temperature is maintained at a bone-chilling -20 degrees Celsius.

Located inside the Uminoichi seafood market, the aquarium packs about 450 species of marine life that include all kinds of fish, mini octopuses and even crabs, all neatly arranged inside large columns of ice.

While the life-like fish seem to be swimming, they are all flash frozen, allowing visitors to gaze at them for as long as they want, without the marine life flitting away - that is, if they can handle the cold for that long. For despite being provided with special parkas to keep warm, most visitors are freezing within minutes, after they get there. To make people feel like they are underwater, the aquarium is lit up with pale blue lighting.

In keeping with the ice theme, a local refrigeration company, sells 'ice art' souvenirs, that range from bottles of sake to action figures, and even bouquets of flowers, all wrapped up in containers of ice!

And, if seeing all these fish makes them hungry for some sushi, there is an excellent Sashimi restaurant located right next to the aquarium - Bon Appetit!

sources:inventorsspot.com, news.cnet.com, treehugger.com