GIFU, Japan - This year's "ukai" cormorant fishing season attracted around 84,900 passengers for viewing boats that allowed them to witness the 1,300-year-old tradition up close.
At the end of the season on Thursday evening, fishermen clad in traditional garb arrived on boats with flaming fire baskets as trained cormorants caught sweetfish on the Nagara River in Gifu, central Japan.
Cheers erupted as the fishermen skillfully guided the cormorants to catch the fish.
The cormorant fishing is designated as an important intangible folk cultural property of Japan and the city is aiming for it to gain UNESCO intangible cultural heritage status.
The cormorant fishing season began in May.
"It was beautiful to see cormorants working so hard to catch the fish," said Atsuko Nishiyama, who visited from Osakasayama in western Japan.
Masazumi Yunoshita, from Gifu, took a viewing boat for the first time with a friend. "I was close enough to feel the fishermen breathing."
According to the city government, new initiatives such as luxury viewing boats have been introduced.
Passenger figures for the cruises had been steadily recovering after declining during the COVID-19 pandemic, with international visitor numbers initially strong this season.
The number of passengers eventually dropped by 0.7 percent from a year earlier due to low water levels during the peak season from late July to mid-August that prevented the use of larger boats.
