1.
cormorant fishing
A traditional Japanese fishing method using trained cormorants to catch sweetfish, performed at night by torchlight on rivers.
夏に鵜飼いを見に行った。
We went to see cormorant fishing in summer.
長良川の鵜飼いは有名だ。
The cormorant fishing on the Nagara River is famous.
鵜飼いでは鵜を使って川の魚を捕らえる。
In cormorant fishing, cormorants are used to catch river fish.
Formed from 鵜 (cormorant) + 飼い (keeping, raising). A fisher (a 鵜匠) handles trained cormorants that dive for 鮎 (sweetfish); a ring on the bird's neck stops it from swallowing the larger catch. Now mostly a summer tourist spectacle, especially on the 長良川.
COMMON COLLOCATIONS:
- 鵜飼いを見物する: watch cormorant fishing
- 鵜飼いの季節: the cormorant-fishing season