Ukai cormorant fishing had been conducted, not only on
the Nagara River, but also at other sites in Japan. Morethan 150 sites in Japan were recorded in documents. TheTama River Cormorant Fishing in Tokyo was depicted in a
★11Nishikie print by Ando Hiroshige, an Ukiyoe artist of theEdo Period.
Ukai cormorant fishing had been widely conducted inJapan. However, along with the development of fisherywith a fishing net, Ukai as a practical way of fishing has
gradually died out.

Why had Ukai been carried out in Isawa? It is historicallyknown that Isawa is the only place in Kainokuni (present day Yamanashi) where “Mikuriya” was allocated.
“Mikuriya” refers to the place where sacred fish wereprepared and offered to the gods. Ukai river wasconsidered to be the best site to catch Sweetfish (Ayu) andat that time Ukai cormorant fishing was not only popular
but also the best way to catch them.

The Kyo-ishi stone of Onmyoji Temple, also called“Ichiji-isseki-kyo” (one character stone scriptures), is apebble on which a single character of a Buddhist scriptureis written. The practice, passed down from the Kamakura
Era, became widespread in the Edo Era. It was carried out
for the purpose of curing diseases, producing good harvests
and pacifying unsatisfied souls.
An article “About Kyo-ishi Stone” by Emu Yamanaka waspublished in the magazine called KOKOKAI(Archaeological World) issued in Meiji 34 (1901). It says,“The pebbles on which Buddhist scriptures were written
were found in many regions in Japan. They are called
Kyo-ishi stones. Among them, the most famous Kyo-ishi
stone is preserved at the Onmyoji Temple in Isawa-shuku.
It was offered by Saint Nichiren to pacify the unsatisfied
soul of the Uzukai ghost” .
The pebbles preserved at the Onmyoji Temple can be said
to be the most famous Kyo-ishi in history★12・・・“Ukaizan Onmyoji Engi” describes the legend of how Onmyoji Temple wasestablished.
★13・・・“Kawasegaki-Kuyo” refers to a memorial service oﬀered on a river bank to pacify
the unsatisﬁed soul of a drowned person.
★14・・・“Ukairyo-O Boreisaido” is one of the episodes of Saint Nichiren who saved thesoul of the Uzukai Ghost by oﬀering a memorial service. Buddhist scriptures werewritten on pebbles and thrown into the riverbed.

▼The Isawa Ukai Cormorant Fishing, held every summer on
the Fuefuki River, is also an event of cormorant fishing forsightseeing purposes. This Isawa Ukai applies a rare
fishing method called “Kachiu” in which Usho manipulate
cormorants by walking along the riverbed and not from aboat.

Kyo-ishi stoneof the Onmyoji Temple

Takigi-noh(Noh theater performed at night by a fire),
A scene from “Ukai” at Ukaizan Onmyoji Temple
which is the birthplace of Ukai cormorant fishing[Important intangible cultural property holder]

Entrance Gate ofUkaizan Onmyoji Temple▼Nowadays, Ukai cormorant fishing is conducted at 12 sites
in Japan but Ukai as a practical way of fishing is conducted
only by “Goryo-ukai” . All others are conducted as asightseeing event for tourists.

★12The historical record of “Ukaizan Onmuyoji Engi” ,describes the legend of how Onmyoji Temple in Isawacho,
Fuefuki City was established. Saint Nichiren was travelingaround the Kainokuni area on foot to propagate the religionof the Lotus Sutra. He visited Isawa in 1274 where heencountered the ghost of Uzukai (a cormorant fisherman).
In order to bring peace to the ghost Saint Nichiren carried★13out “Kawasegaki Kuyo” (a memorial service conducted on ariverbank). He ordered his followers to write charactersfrom the eight volumes of the Lotus Sutra on pebbles andthese were thrown into the riverbed for three days andnights. As a result, the ghost of the cormorant fisherman
could rest in peace and a tombstone was placed at the site.
Onmyoji Temple was later built here and the tombstone isthe origin of the temple.
B y t h e e n d o f t h e★14K a m a k u r a E r a , t h i s s t o r y ,“Ukairyo-O-Boreisaido” had spread far and wide in theKanto area and about 600 years ago, during theMuromachi Era, Noh writer Zeami created the Noh song
“Ukai” based on an episode from this story.

Ukai cormorant fishingconducted in Isawa

Ukai

Koshu-dochu
Isawa-shukuand Isawa Ukai
Cormorant Fishing“Nanajino-Kyo-ishi” of Onmyoji
Temple, pebbles on which sevencharacters from Buddhist scriptures
are written – a character on each pebble<packaged in a glass container>▼What is Ukai like? You might imagine the Nagara RiverCormorant Fishing of Gifu Prefecture when you hear theword “Ukai” . The scenery is elegant and fantastic, wherecormorant fishing masters (called Usho) on their boats(Ubune) are manipulating a number of cormorants in theirhands to catch sweetfish (Ayu) attracted by a bonfire. TheNagara River Cormorant Fishing is cormorant fishingpatronized by the Imperial Court (called “Goryo-ukai” ).
Cormorant fishing masters are appointed as "Imperial
Cormorant Fishing Masters, Board of Ceremonies and★10
Rituals (shikibushoku), Imperial Household Agency", in thestatus of a national public servant engaged in the work of
passing on the traditional culture of Ukai to future
generations.

Ukaizan Onmyoji Temple
and Noh Song “Ukai”▼Ukai fish(Cormorant Fishing)

Reference bookof the Noh Song “Ukai★10・・・“Shikibushoku” refers to one of the internal subdivisionsof the Imperial Household Agency★11・・・Nishikie refers to a multi-colored woodblock print of ukiyo-e▼▼

Isawa Ukai on the Fuefuki River“Ukaizan Onmyoji Engi”(Established around the end of Edo period, Owned by Onmyoji Temple)

The Fuefuki River where Isawa Ukai is held
(The Isawa River used to flow in those days)▼▼

KachiuUkai on the Nagara River“Osusuri-Mizu” on the right bank by the Man-nen-bashi Bridge<a well to get water for the ink-stone to write characters on the Kyo-ishi stone>

Isawa Ukai Cormorant Fishing on the Fuefuki River