Tokyo's Fungus Fair celebrates fungi, bacteria, etc.

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*http://www.yomiuri.co.jp/dy/features/science/20081205TDY18006.htm

So much fungus among us

Cristoph Mark / Daily Yomiuri Staff Writer

Life would be devoid of so many pleasures if it weren't for bacteria. There

would be no mushrooms, no alcohol, no miso or natto, no cheese...well, there

would probably be no life, for that matter.

The extent to which we are surrounded and affected by bacteria, fungus and

molds is the subject of " Kinrui no Fushigi " currently running at the

National Museum of Nature and Science in Tokyo's Ueno Park. Molds, bacteria

and, mostly, mushrooms of every shape and form fill the museum, as do

drawings by mangaka Masayuki Ishikawa, author of the series Moyashimon:

Tales of Agriculture, from which the characters come.

Second only to insects, there are 80,000 different known forms of fungus,

mold and bacteria--and a suspected 1.5 million that have yet to be

discovered--so there is a lot of ground to cover in very little space.

Visitors to the exhibition are greeted by a video featuring Moyashimon, a

cute manga character that represents Aspergillus Oryzae, the bacteria used

in many Japanese foods, including soy sauce, miso and sake. The quick

introduction to the bacteria that are most common and useful in Japanese

life covers the most basic information, giving each example its own

friendly-looking character. (Bizarrely, the character representing the

bacteria used in making wine looks sick and aged.)

From this point of the exhibition, visitors are encouraged to roam freely,

as there is no particular need to follow the show as it has been ordered.

However, some of the most interesting fungi on exhibit are here at the

beginning, where there are protolaxite fossils dating back 440 million

years. These ancient fungi grew to as much as nine meters tall and 1.5

meters wide, a fact illustrated by two lifesized replicas.

Following this tiny exhibit are meters upon meters of preserved examples of

the vast world of mushrooms. Some are massive, some are tiny and delicate,

seemingly defying gravity. Some would have been edible, some poisonous.

Though each of them are named, there is little much else in way of

information or origin--a major problem with " Kinrui no Fushigi " as a whole.

The mushrooms and their companions are divided into types and complexity,

with some resembling flowers--the astraeus hygometricus or the aseroe

rubra--some looking like balls, and others just strange. But, again, beyond

a short introduction at the start of each section (entirely in

Japanese--there is no English guidance in the show), there is little

substantial information.

Some of the more interesting points of the exhibition, however, are the

historic figures who are highlighted, such as Kisaku Mori, who in 1942,

became the first person to cultivate shiitake mushrooms. A panel of

important researchers appears at the end of the main portion of the exhibit,

and shows that the study of mushrooms and other fungi can be traced to Pier

n Micheli (1679-1737), whose 1729 book Nova Plantarum Genera

contained more than 900 species.

Ultimately, the collection of materials and exhibits at " Kinrui no Fusigi "

is worth a look, but the Japanese-only audio guide and a bit of preliminary

research will make the exhibition much more interesting than it will

otherwise be.

" Kinrui no Fushigi " until Jan. 12, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., closed Mondays and from

Dec. 28 through Jan. 1, at the National Museum of Nature and Science, a

five-minute walk from Ueno Station in Tokyo. 600 yen for adults, no charge

for high school students and younger. For more information, call (03)

5777-8600, or visit www.kahaku.go.jp.

(Dec. 5, 2008)

Science & Nature

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