Arashiyama has a long history of using this method of cormorant fishing among the local expert fishermen. So what exactly is Cormorant fishing, you might wonder. This ancient method had been practiced since the beginning of Kyoto reining as the ancient capitol. First what they did was attach string to the large black seabirds, the cormorant, and release them into the river from the boat. The fish are caught by the cormorants and before they can swallow the fish, they are pulled out from the water and stored. An old local method of catching river trout. This practice was thought to be an amazing talent and was acknowledged by the Omiyabito (Heian era court nobles). They enjoyed watching by starting a bonfire and ordering the cormorant fishing to continue into the night. This was the start of the seasonal event of summer. Today, this method of fishing is not practiced so much, but as a traditional seasonal event of the summer, it will be specially demonstrated for the many people from all around the globe. You can sit on the actual boats, see this amazing event right up by the action, and enjoy the cool summer breeze and traditional atmosphere of a spectacular night in Kyoto.
When: July 1st - September 15th (August 16th is a holiday)
Boarding times (1hr ride): July and August: 7:00pm, 8:00pm, September: 6:30pm, 7:30pm
Fare:
Regular attraction: Adult (1,700 Yen), Children 4 - 12 (850 Yen)
Special attraction: Adult (2,000 Yen). Children 4 - 12 (1,000 Yen)
*Numbers for the special attraction is limited.
