Ayugyo (Sweetfish Fishing) in the Tamagawa River

Ayugyo in the Middle Reaches of the Tamagawa River

Inagi City is located in the middle reaches of the Tama River, where various types of river fishing have been practiced since ancient times. Many species of fish that inhabit the middle reaches of the Tama River have been a valuable food source for people in the past. In particular, sweetfish have high commercial value, leading to the development of various fishing methods. The sweetfish fishing conducted in the Tama River around Inagi includes the following methods: fishing with rods and set lines, net fishing using cast nets, waiting nets, and gill nets, spear fishing using box nets and fishing boats, and cormorant fishing.

History of Ayu Fishing in the Tamagawa River

The ayu fishing in the Tama River has been mentioned in documents since the Kamakura period, but it became famous during the Edo period, starting with the tribute of ayu to Edo Castle. The eighth shogun Yoshimune even prohibited fishing other than the official ayu fishing, known as Otorikawa. Successive shoguns, Emperor Meiji, and members of the imperial family frequently visited the Tama River to enjoy ayu fishing. After the Meiji period, the Tama River became a free fishing ground, and activities such as viewing ayu fishing from houseboats developed. It was around this time that cormorant fishing began, continuing until the early Showa period. Cormorant fishermen were invited from Yotsuya and Kosemachi in Fuchu City to conduct cormorant fishing in the Tama River at Omaru, Higashi-Naganuma, Oshitate, and Yanokuchi. Most of the fishing was done during the day on foot, with one cormorant fisherman using two cormorants (sea cormorants), and two assistants pulling the net for cormorant fishing. This type of cormorant fishing was observed from houseboats.