• Home
  • Adventures
  • Videos
  • About Us
  • Search

Mobile Menu

  • Home
  • Adventures
  • Videos
  • About Us
  • Search
  • Email
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • Twitter
  • YouTube
  • Menu
  • Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer

Before Header

  • Email
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest

Join the Kellys

See the world!

  • Home
  • Adventures
  • Videos
  • About Us
  • Search
You are here: Home / Culture / Ukai: Cormorant Fishing in Iwakuni, Japan – Join the Tradition!
Ukai cormorant fishing at night with cormorants

Ukai: Cormorant Fishing in Iwakuni, Japan – Join the Tradition!

July 4, 2019 //  by Shelbi Kelly//  Leave a Comment

Share this...
Pin on Pinterest
Pinterest
Share on Facebook
Facebook
Email this to someone
email
Tweet about this on Twitter
Twitter
Print this page
Print
Share on StumbleUpon
StumbleUpon
Share on Tumblr
Tumblr

Ukai or cormorant fishing is a unique part of Japanese culture and a centuries-old tradition; every summer you can watch it at the Kintaikyo Bridge in Iwakuni.

We love spending time at the Kintaikyo Bridge. We are usually there during the day enjoying ice cream and throwing rocks in the water. One of the most spectacular ways to experience the iconic bridge is viewing the traditional cormorant fishing up close during the warmer months of the year!

Ukai boy and girl on kintai bridge at night

What is Cormorant Fishing?

At least 1300 years ago, the Japanese were fishing using cormorants.  The trained birds have leashes and collars that prevent large fish from going down their throat; birds and fishermen go out at night use a blazing torch to help the birds’ keen senses.  A master fisherman will stand on a long wooden boat while it is being propelled by two other men, and hold about a dozen different cormorants with the leashes. The birds dive underwater, swallowing smaller fish and catching larger ones in their throats. The master fisherman then pull the birds aboard and help them release its catch. 

Ukai cormorant fishing at night by kintai bridge

Every cormorant in Japan is registered. The Japanese government needs to be informed of their death as well, just as you would a person!  

Ukai cormorants by the kintai bridge at night

Where can you watch cormorant fishing?

There are several cities throughout Japan that still practice Ukai today, albeit now for tourism: 

Ukai cormorant fishing man guiding boat

  • Fuefuki, Yamanashi Prefecture
  • Iwakuni, Yamaguchi Prefecture
  • Gifu & Seki, Gifu Prefecture
  • Inuyama, Aichi Prefecture
  • Uji, Kyoto Prefecture 
  • Kyoto, Kyoto Prefecture
  • Arida, Wakayama Prefecture
  • Miyoshi, Hiroshima Prefecture
  • Asakura, Fukuoka Prefecture
  • Hita, Oita Prefecture
  • Ozu, Ehime Prefecture
  • Masuda, Shimane Prefecture

Ukai cormorant fishing kintai bridge

China, Greece, and North Macedonia also have cormorant fishing. 

Experience Cormorant Fishing in Iwakuni

Ukai cormorant fishing man giving girl a shirt

We walked across the Kintaikyo Bridge, just before the fishing took place and it really set the mood. The boats docked and prepared for launch; bonfires on the beach were already lit. After we checked in, the staff directed us to our boat for the evening – there were about 5 boats that would be watching the festivities that night. 

Ukai Cormorant Fishing Mom walking across bridge

Ukai cormorant fishing boy on kintai bridge

Royce and Jeannie were super excited.  They liked climbing around the boat but sat well as soon as the boat launched.  

Ukai boatman helping with girls life jacket

We first rode up the Nishiki River. It takes about 45 minutes and is relaxing to take in views of the Kintai Castle and the surrounding area. Afterwards, we went back to shore for a quick break before the fun began. 

Ukai castle view while cormorant fishing

The Show

The excitement built as we got back on the boat; the sun had pretty well gone down and now the lamps inside the boat and the bonfires were the only lights we had other than the flashes from cameras from the side of the road. 

Ukai cormorant fishing at night view

Our boat was in the lead as we slowed to set up for the show. One boat after another lined up end-to-end with the others. Then we waited. All of a sudden from upriver we saw a boat approaching with a large torch hanging off the front of it. The master fisherman in a grass skirt held on to several leashes leading to the cormorants in the water. The other two men on the boat used the poles to propel the boat forward with incredible speed. They sped down the array of boats, did a U-turn and went back up the other side. Following behind the first fishing boat was another, and they both circled close to the line of boats several times. After that, we went back toward the Kintai bridge where they again stopped and lined up the boats while the cormorant boats circled us. 

Ukai close up of master fisherman cormorant fishing

We couldn’t help but cheer for the cormorants, or maybe the master fisherman; either way, it was like a horse race with clapping and cheering and excitement as the birds would dive under and come up with a fish in their throats. 

Ukai view of cormorant fisherman

Watching cormorant fishing is dramatic under the dark sky, with blazing torches and the large birds flying in and out of the water.  The Kintaikyo in the background provides a perfect backdrop. Royce and Jeannie were awed by the experience, but no more than we were!

Ukai fisherman by kintai

Plan your Ukai trip:

To make reservations for cormorant fishing in Iwakuni call 0827-28-2877.

Ukai cormorant fishing portait

From June 1 to September 10th you can watch Ukai in the Nishiki River at the Kintaikyo Bridge. It lasts about 2 hours from 19:00 – 21:00. You can watch it from the shore, the Kintaikyo Bridge, the 114 bridge or up close from a boat. The price was ¥2000 for an adult and ¥500 per child, and totally worth it!

If you want to witness more of Japanese culture check out the Taiko Drum Festival in Shodoshima.

Ukai mom and kids on kintai bridge at night

Ukai Cormorant fishing Pin

 

Share this...
Pin on Pinterest
Pinterest
Share on Facebook
Facebook
Email this to someone
email
Tweet about this on Twitter
Twitter
Print this page
Print
Share on StumbleUpon
StumbleUpon
Share on Tumblr
Tumblr

Category: Culture, Japan

Never miss a post

Join us for all of our adventures!

Related Posts

You may be interested in these posts from the same category.

Golden Pavilion in Kyoto

Your Guide: What to do in Kyoto, Japan

Fukuoka leaning buddha

Best of Fukuoka, Japan

Narni sotterranea church

An Unexpected Journey to Narni, Italy

Previous Post: «Kids Hugging at Lake Pukaki The Best Time to Travel While Stationed at MCAS Iwakuni
Next Post: Naples Underground: Our first week in Italy Naples Underground entry way to homes»

Reader Interactions

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Primary Sidebar

Family

We are the Kellys, and we love seeing the beautiful world around us! We have made it our goal to explore as much as we can wherever we live. As a family in the military we expect to move often, which means there will be many opportunities to explore new places! We document the amazing places we see, and hope to share with you our joy of adventuring as a family!

Learn more about us here!

Recent Posts

Family in Bavaria Garmisch

Garmisch, Germany: the Best Kept Secret

January 10, 2020

Day Trip to Salzburg, Austria

November 15, 2019

Golden Pavilion in Kyoto

Your Guide: What to do in Kyoto, Japan

November 13, 2019

Lake Como with a drone

Lake Como, the Best Place to Spend a Long Weekend

October 24, 2019

Search hotels and more...

Destination

Check-in date

Check-out date

Booking.com

Never miss a post

Join us for all of our adventures!

Footer

All of our Adventures

“It’s not an adventure until something goes wrong.”

-Yvon Chouinard

See all of our adventures.

Site Footer

  • Email
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • Sitemap

Copyright © 2021 Join the Kellys · All Rights Reserved · Powered by Mai Theme