From June 1st, Miyoshi’s summer tradition begins🌿 The Miyoshi ukai (cormorant fishing), with a history of more than 450 years, has started✨ What is ukai? Ukai is a traditional Japanese fishing method that uses cormorants to catch sweetfish (ayu). Cormorants are exceptionally skilled hunters. They dive into the water and swallow the fish whole, holding them in their throats☝️ In ukai, handlers wrap a cord around the bird’s neck so it won’t completely swallow a large ayu. The cormorant handler, called an usho, makes the bird regurgitate the fish and collects the catch. This fishing method is called ukai. What makes Miyoshi’s ukai unique? Ukai was once practiced across Japan, but today it survives as a tourist attraction in only 11 locations nationwide. One of these precious sites is Miyoshi, notable above all for the exceptional skill of its cormorant handlers✨ The cord attached to each cormorant is called a tanawa. In Miyoshi, the tanawa stretches an astonishing seven meters— the longest in Japan❗ With that extra length, the cormorants range far and wide, moving freely in every direction❗ You can witness the powerful sight of the birds hunting up close. And watching the handlers skillfully control the long tanawa is a brave, captivating sight✨ The pleasure boats we ride run alongside the cormorant fishing boats carrying the usho. That lets you see this dramatic spectacle right up close😊 This is one of the great attractions of Miyoshi’s ukai! What is the relationship between the usho and the cormorants? Some people may feel sorry that the birds are made to regurgitate the fish. The usho and the cormorants are irreplaceable partners who live and work together. The birds are treated as members of the usho’s family and cared for with great affection🌿 Cormorants are said to bond closely with people. Handlers communicate with them every day, shower them with affection🥰, and train them carefully. It is said that ukai cannot be done without a trusting relationship between the bird and the usho, so their feelings must be mutually understood for the method to work. Because the cormorants and usho fish together as a family, a strong bond forms between them. The beautiful scenes they create together in ukai are truly a sight to behold. CHECK! For more details about Miyoshi’s ukai, follow the URL link on this account♪