Graveyard on Ice: Japanese Skating Rink Closes After Freezing 5,000 Fish

In Japan, everything goes, and the country has lived up to this perception after Space World created an ice skating rink with 5,000 dead frozen fish as its main attraction. But after receiving public criticism, the amusement park has decided to close the so-called Ice Aquarium.

Space World, located in Kitakyushu, Fukuoka prefecture, promoted the controversial Ice Aquarium as a never-before-seen attraction. The said ice rink measures 250 meters long and features 25 different fish species, ABC reports.

The said species of fish found on Space World's ice rink includes various types of fish bought dead from the market. It also has photos of rays and sharks displayed in the area. The attraction opened its doors to the public on Nov. 12 with the sole purpose of educating patrons and park visitors about fish species while having fun and getting a feel of the ocean, as per Tech Times.

However, the attraction was slammed with public criticism from visitors and from social media days after the opening. Criticizers note that the idea was "unethical" and demanded a public apology from Space World. Toshimi Takeda, Space World general manager, said they were "shocked" as the ice rink attraction seemed popular upon opening.

"We were shocked to hear the reaction as the ice skate rink was very popular since it opened two weeks ago, we had an unprecedented number of visitors," Takeda told CNN. "[But] we had endless opinions about the project, we were shocked ... We are sorry for the project and decided to close the rink on that night."

Space World also tweeted a public apology for the Ice Aquarium, saying in Japanese, "We sincerely apologize to everyone who was upset by the 'Ice Aquarium.'"

Takeda said they would remove the frozen dead fish on the Ice Aquarium and would hold a proper "religious service" before using them as fertilizer.