Ukai

Eventually, the only visible thing on the 'viewers' boats were the lanterns.

Ukai is the Japanese name for cormorant fishing.  There are roughly 10 locations in Japan where it is still practiced, two of which are in Kyoto - Arashiyama and Uji.  We finally had a non-typhoon influenced evening to go see the spectacle that is ukai (if there has been heavy rains the river is too high for safe boating).  

We know that there is no 
need to fish with cormorants any longer and that its practice is actually just for honoring history and attracting tourists.  We decided that it was unique enough that we didn't really care that it isn't totally authentic any longer.

We took the train to Arashiyama and quickly made our way to the ticket office.  It is free from the shore. If you want an up close view, you pay to be on a boat.  Seeing as we don't plan on doing it again, we got on a boat.  

While we waited, we got to watch the fishermen and cormorants prep. The birds were kept in bamboo baskets.  Six to eight birds were loaded onto each boat, followed by bundles of cedar logs to be burned off the front of the boat to light the water's surface.  We watched them massage the necks of the birds and then ultimately ties a rope around their necks.  Evidently, there is an art to this process: too tight and the bird tires too quickly; and if it's too loose, the birds will swallow the fish and become too slow.  There is considerable training for both bird and fisherman (so we were told).

Dina getting ready to go.

We were eventually loaded in the lantern lit boats.  The boats were lined with tatami mats, meaning you removed your shoes and sat on the bottom of the boat.  It actually worked really well.  It also allowed everyone a view.  There were many more curious tourists than fishermen.








The river is pretty shallow (~10 feet) so the boats were propelled with a long bamboo pole (think Venice).  The lanterns, fire from the ukai boats, and reflection from the city made for a gorgeous night.  

There was a concession boat that would pull up next to the viewing boats providing food and drink.  This was skewers of fish and other meats over an open flame, beer, soda, candy, rice balls, and more.  It was quite a set up and really fun to watch.








The ukai boats included a lot of pounding of oars, shouting, and cheering from the spectators.  We'll let the photos speak for themselves.

Beautiful night