YOKOHAMA -- An exhibition with 30 creepy species is currently in this Japanese port city south of Tokyo.
There are reasons for being creepy. That's the core lesson behind the Kimoi-ten creepy exhibition held at the Mark Is Minatomirai commercial complex in Yokohama's Nishi Ward. It attempts to draw the visitor away from focusing on the animals' sometimes alarming appearances and inspire them to think about why the creatures are how they are. On display are creatures from around the world, including reptiles, insects and arthropods, with unique adaptions to protect themselves from external enemies.
Among the cited creepy species are the Asian forest scorpion, which glows blue under UV light, the yellow-banded poison dart frog, whose yellow and black skin indicates that it is poisonous, and what are referred to in Japan as the three major bug species the whip scorpion, the wind scorpion and the tailless whip scorpion.
There is a projection map display of numerous mealworms, which are used as fishing bait and food for small animals. On Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays, adventurous visitors can also visit the exhibit's petting zoo corner.
Visitor Misato Shimizu, 22, a graduate student in Tokyo, commented that Humans labeled them 'creepy. I felt these attributes are important for those creatures. Zookeeper Shota Kasugai, 21, said he'll be glad if people use coming to the exhibition as an opportunity to learn about animals. Admission is approximately 800 yen for junior high school students and older, 600 yen approx. $4.20 for elementary school students and preschoolers aged 3 or above. For inquiries, contact the organizer by phone at 0120 - 132 -- 762 in Japanese.