岐阜長良川鵜飼 (令和7年7月12日)・A Japanese fishing method with a 1300-year history!
Gifu, Gifu Prefecture Today, we’re in Gifu City, the prefectural capital of Gifu Prefecture. The building that you can see here is Gifu Castle. We’re here to watch an event that takes place every year – between mid-May and mid-October on the Nagara River, which runs through the city. This man is the “Ushō”. He’s the leader of the fishermen, who catch “ayu” (sweetfish) with the help of cormorants. The “Ushō” is explaining how the cormorants dive under the water to grab the fish, before regurgitating them into a bucket. It is thought that the tradition of cormorant fishing has existed in Japan for at least 1,300 years. The Nagara River, and particularly the city of Gifu, is one of the main centers of cormorant fishing in Japan. As such, the city attracts thousands of tourists every summer to witness this tradition. Many board tourist boats to watch the cormorant fishing from the water; while others watch from the river bank. Here, we see some of the boats, aboard some of which food and drink is served. The “Ushō” – dressed in a kind of straw known as a “Koshimino” and a black tunic called a “Ryōfuku” – is about to depart The round wicker baskets on the Ushō’s boat contain cormorants. This is the Nagara River – designated as one of three so-called “Clear-Flowing Rivers” (“Seiryū”) in Japan; the other two being the Kakita River in Shizuoka Prefecture and the Shimanto River in Kōchi Prefecture. The cormorant fishing takes place every evening between May 11 and October, except during the harvest moon, or if/when the water level is dangerously high. The crews of the cormorant boats will rest here for a while. Later, they will travel upstream to the departure point for this evening’s event. When it becomes dark enough, the fire baskets (“kagari”) will be lit. One by one, the boats will return to this stretch of the river, where the cormorant fishing event will take place. Historical documents show that some people were making a living from cormorant fishing more 1,300 years ago in this part of Japan (ancient Mino Province) These days, cormorant fishing is a tourist and cultural/religious event, which conveys classical fishing methods to the current generation. The cormorant fishing on the Nagara River is the one in Japan with a formal relationship with the Imperial Household Agency. Nagara River “Ayu” (Sweetfish) is delivered to the Imperial Household Agency, which also bestows an official title on the “Ushō (the head fisherman). Most of the tourist boats have now assembled by the opposite bank of the river. The cormorant boats will pass close to the boats to afford the passengers a clear view. Now that it’s become dark, the fishing activities can begin. The cormorants are attached to lines which are controlled by the fishermen. The “Ayu” are attracted towards the surface by the brightness of the fire baskets, making it possible for the cormorants to catch the fish, and for the fishermen to retrieve the fish from the gullets of the cormorants.
岐阜長良川の鵜飼は5月11日〜10月15日の間開催されます。夏の風物詩「長良川の鵜飼」は1300年以上の歴史があるそうです。 篝火の中、伝統衣装の鵜匠が巧みに鵜を操り鮎を狩る様子をご覧ください。
Cormorant Fishing takes place every evening from mid-May to mid-October on the Nagara River in Gifu City, Japan. This summer tradition is said to have a history of over 1300 years. Fishermen in traditional costumes skillfully control cormorants to catch “ayu” (sweetfish) attracted to the surface of the river by the light of the flames from a “kagari” (fire basket).
#japaneseculture #鵜飼 #岐阜県
AloJapan.com