murmurOzu Cormorant Fishing (Ukai)
Ozu City · Hiji River (from below Garyu Sanso to below Ozu Castle)
Dates and details can change. Always check the official website before you go.
Ozu City · Last checked: Oct 11, 2026
Dates
Dates not confirmed
- 2026
- Dates have not been announced yet. Please check the official website.
- 2027
- Dates have not been announced yet. Please check the official website.
- Usual timing
- Usually in June
- How the date is set
- Every year, June 1 – September 20 Season runs from June 1 to September 20; trips may be cancelled on some days due to high water
- Venue
- Hiji River (from below Garyu Sanso to below Ozu Castle)
- City
- Ozu City, Ehime
About
From June 1 to September 20, cormorant fishing takes place on the Hiji River in Ozu, one of Japan's three great ukai along with the Nagara River in Gifu and the Mikuma River in Oita. Ozu is where awase-ukai was born: the torch-lit fishing boat drifts downstream right beside the spectators' roofed boats, so you see the birds splash down and come up with sweetfish just a few feet away. Because the Hiji is a narrow river, both kinds of boat are built a little smaller than usual. Watch the cormorant masters, in tall hats and straw skirts, as they work the birds' leashes. Small parties can ride a shared boat, and groups can charter one. Trips may be called off on some days, for example when the river is high.
Sources
- OfficialOzu City ozuukai.com
- OfficialVisit Ozu (official Ozu tourism site) jp.visitozu.com
Last checked: Oct 11, 2026. Event information is based on official announcements, but changes may not always be reflected here. Please check each official website for accurate details.
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On the day, see what locals are murmuring on the murmur map
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