Sumida Aquarium Posts 2026 Penguin Relationship Chart, with Drama and Breakups

The one detail that always gets me with these charts: penguins who've just been broken up with will refuse to eat.

Also apparently one female ended six relationships in a single year, and the staff description of her, translated from Japanese, is something like "basically demonic."

And yes, some penguins have developed crushes on their caretakers. Which the aquarium has also charted. Professionally.

I tried to decipher the naming themes:

Festivals:

    - Tsuzumi = drum used in festivals
    - Taiko = drum used in festivals
    - Happi = clothes worn in festivals
    - Wasshoi = shout used in festivals
    - Hanabi = fireworks
    - Matsuri = festival
    - Chouchin = latern used in festivals
    - Bonbori = type of light used in hina festival
    

Food:

    - Monaka = bean paste filled snack
    - Ichigo = strawberry
    - Basil = culinary plant
    - Momoha = maybe derived from momonoha, which is a culinary plant
    - Peach = fruit
    - Akebi = fruit
    - Omochi = snack
    - Chanko = hot pot
    - Fuji = apple
    - Melon = fruit
    - Ohagi = snack
    - Sour = flavor
    - Yuzu = fruit
    - Ponzu sauce
    - Ramune = drink
    - Warabi = type of mochi
    - Yomogi = type of mochi
    - Daifuku = snack
    - Cookie = cookie
    - Ringo = apple
    - Potechi = potato chips
    - Cherry = fruit
    - Lime = fruit
    - Marron = chestnut
    - Kinako = soybean flour
    - Banana = fruit
    - Zunda = paste made from edamame
    - Suika = watermelon
    - Shiratama = snack
    - Cocoa = cocoa
    - Ame = candy
    - Choco = chocolate
    - Arare = snack
    - Anmitsu = bean paste snack
    - Anko = bean paste
    - Anzu = fruit
    - Macaron = snack
    - Koume = plum
    

Plants:

    - Pine = tree
    - Momiji = maple
    - Susuki = tree
    - Rose = flower
    - Tsumugi = flower
    - Nadeshiko = flower
    - Sakura = flower
    - Komari = flower
    - Aloe = plant
    - Ajisai = flower
    - Kiriko = flower
    - Azuma = plant

The names were collected roughly left to right. I was reading the Japanese version[1] so some of the romanizations might not match the English version.

[1] https://www.sumida-aquarium.com/special/sokanzu/

There’s a pretty great penguin colony site seeing area in Cape Town called Boulders Beach for those of you that happen to visit and are keen to see them up close.

Also this article is just great.

I took my mom there a few years ago, it is a really nice setup. If you’re in town, highly recommend.

Now I want this for London Zoo :-)