The Nagaragawa Cormorant Fishing Museum, officially known as the Gifu City Nagaragawa Ukai Tradition Museum, is located in Gifu City, Gifu Prefecture. Dedicated to the traditional fishing practice known as ukai, or cormorant fishing, the museum introduces visitors to the history, culture, and techniques of this centuries-old tradition through a variety of exhibits and interactive displays.
This immersive exhibit recreates the moment when a trained cormorant catches a sweetfish underwater. Using interactive visual technology, visitors can observe a cormorant fishing boat from the perspective of someone looking up from the riverbed, offering a unique view of the fishing process.
This exhibition traces the history of cormorant fishing on the Nagara River, a tradition with a history spanning more than 1,300 years. Visitors can explore how the practice has been passed down through generations.
Known as usho, the professional fishing masters who handle the cormorants inherit their skills and responsibilities through family traditions. This exhibit introduces their lives, specialized techniques, and formal traditional clothing.
Large cormorant models and video presentations help visitors learn about the birds’ behavior, anatomy, and distinctive physical characteristics. The hands-on displays make this an engaging experience for visitors of all ages.
This section explores the Nagara River, often celebrated as one of Japan’s three clearest rivers, and introduces its sweetfish, known in Japanese as ayu. These fish are central to the traditional cormorant fishing industry and the region’s food culture.
This free lounge offers beautiful views of Mount Kinka and the Nagara River. It is an ideal place to relax and appreciate the natural scenery surrounding the museum.
This atmospheric installation recreates the nighttime setting of cormorant fishing. In a darkened space, the glow of a traditional fishing fire is reflected on the simulated river surface, conveying the distinctive atmosphere of the practice.
This exhibition presents historical episodes connected with cormorant fishing, including stories involving influential figures such as Oda Nobunaga and Tokugawa Ieyasu.
A large screen designed to resemble a traditional picture scroll, combined with realistic sound and lighting effects, immerses visitors in the sights and atmosphere of cormorant fishing on the Nagara River.
Nagaragawa ukai is a traditional fishing practice performed on the Nagara River in Gifu City every year from May 11 to October 15. Fishing generally takes place every night during the season, except on the night of the harvest moon and when water levels are too high.
The harvest-moon night is traditionally a day off because the bright moonlight reduces the visual effect of the fishing fires. Unlike other full-moon nights, when fishing may still take place, this particular night is reserved as a traditional break.
The history of cormorant fishing on the Nagara River extends back more than 1,300 years. Its long history is inferred in part from household registration records dating to the Taiho era (701–704), preserved in the Shosoin Repository in Nara.
Today, the tradition continues as a tourist attraction and as a cultural and ceremonial practice. Nagaragawa ukai is particularly distinguished because it is the only cormorant fishing tradition officially maintained for the Japanese Imperial Household.
The complete set of equipment used for Nagaragawa ukai is designated an Important Tangible Folk Cultural Property of Japan. In addition, several related traditional skills are recognized as Intangible Folk Cultural Properties of Gifu City, including the production of ayu-zushi (fermented sweetfish sushi) passed down through the fishing masters’ families, as well as the construction and operation of spectator boats.
In 2015, Nagaragawa ukai was recognized as part of the Japan Heritage story titled “Gifu: A Warring States Castle Town Where Oda Nobunaga’s Hospitality Lives On.” This recognition highlights the tradition’s historical significance and its connection to the cultural heritage of Gifu.
During a fishing session, a traditional wooden boat called an ubune travels along the river with a fire basket burning at the bow. A trained fishing master controls approximately 10 to 12 cormorants using ropes.
The firelight startles the sweetfish, making them easier for the cormorants to catch. The birds swallow the fish but are prevented from swallowing larger catches completely, allowing the fishing master to retrieve the sweetfish from their throats.
One of the most impressive sights is the coordinated fishing technique known as sogaram i, in which multiple boats work together to drive fish toward the nets or boats. The combination of flickering firelight, the river at night, and the skillful movements of the fishing masters creates a memorable spectacle.
The Nagaragawa Cormorant Fishing Museum offers an opportunity to discover the history and techniques behind one of Japan’s most distinctive traditional fishing practices. Through immersive exhibits, historical displays, and beautiful river views, visitors can gain a deeper appreciation of the relationship between the Nagara River, its sweetfish, and the fishing masters who have preserved this cultural heritage for generations.