The Japanese way of catching high-value fish: Unusual, like a swordplay movie!

A very unique style of catching fish with fishing tools that very few people have ever seen.

In the midst of a rocky landscape with a charming stream, a man wears a kasa hat and an outfit reminiscent of old swordplay movies. In his hand was a long pole resting above the water.

Also next to him is another long star tree, both of which are like fish rackets and indeed he is using them to catch stream fish. The stream has fast currents that make fishing here almost impossible.

Traditional Japanese fishing.

However, he deliberately chose a sloping position and placed the racket at the foot of the slope, where white bubbles of water shot up. The racket above the water allows him to see clearly if any fish jump up and get in.

It turns out that this is a traditional Japanese method of catching fish that has been around for a long time (Edo period), the catcher will choose steep streams with strong water to use a racket to catch the fish flying out of the water. , then place the fish in a nearby basket.

The fish caught by this method is the fragrant fish (or fry or Ayu in Japanese, scientific name: Plecoglossus altivelis) - the symbolic fish of Gunma prefecture in Japan.

In Japan, they are a delicious fish, sweet meat (like watermelon taste) as well as the typical flavor of summer and have a high price. This fish has the characteristic of swimming against the current like salmon when it comes to spawning season.

Fish Ayu

Adults will swim from coastal areas to the fresh water of rivers to spawn in the spring. They will try to jump to high waterfalls and that is the time for the fisherman to put his long rackets and leisurely sit on the shore to catch fish.

In addition to the traditional way of catching fish with the above racket, the Japanese also use an equally ancient way of catching fish, which is the use of Japanese cormorants (Scientific name: Phalacrocorax capillatus) to catch fragrant fish.

Catching this fish is very limited because the government bans fishing for Ayu, only locals are allowed to catch this fish in the summer.