Eager to explain traditional cormorant fishing to foreign tourists, a boatman has begun providing English-language guidance on tour boats on the Nagara River in Gifu Prefecture.
Kunimasa Sawada, a 28-year-old office worker by day, has 12 years of experience as a part-time boatman in the summer cormorant fishing season.
The age-old practice involves tethering a cormorant's neck to prevent it from swallowing its catch, and then allowing it to dive for fish.
The number of foreign tourists attracted to the cormorant boats has increased in recent years, with about 2,700 visiting last season. Until now, none of the 150 boatmen has provided explanations in English.
On evenings between May and October, small wooden vessels drift downstream, each with as many as a dozen tethered cormorants and with a small fire suspended in a metal basket to lure fish.
Boats are typically manned by several fishermen and boatmen. While the method is not as efficient as angling or netting, it has become a tourist attraction.
Sawada, citing his experience of not being able to understand tour guides on overseas trips, said he studied in the United States for six months to brush up his English.
Now, Sawada not only provides explanations in English of the fishing method but also speaks on a wide variety of Japanese topics, including cuisine and tourist spots.
"I was glad when tourists who enjoyed my English explanations came back with their friends," Sawada said. "My next goal is to master Chinese."
