Previous activities
In 2004, Gifu City began engaging in activities aimed at having cormorant fishing on the Nagara River listed on the UNESCO list of intangible cultural heritage. Gifu City established a “Project Team to Make Gifu City Cormorant Fishing Listed as a World Heritage” and has launched various projects.
- Scientific Research
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・Basic practical research on cormorant fishing itself
・Technical practical research that supports cormorant fishing
・Research in the preservation of the cultural scenery
・Preparation of drawings of tools for cormorant fishing on the Nagara River
・Issuance of research reports
・Preparation of documentary videos, etc.
- 魅Appeal
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・Preparation of flags and banners.
・Organization of seminars for the general public on cormorant fishing
・Organization of a Symposium on the Future of Cormorant Fishing on the Nagara River
・Issuance of the pamphlet, “Rediscovering Cormorant Fishing on the Nagara River”
・Organization of seminars to train storytellers about cormorant fishing
・Organization of study meetings for Omotenashi (hospitality) related to cormorant fishing on the Nagara River, etc.
Fiscal Year 2016
Training seminar for storytellers about cormorant fishing, “Graduation Event”
[18 persons graduated on January 31, 2016 and 13 persons graduated on January 29, 2017]
Research on cormorant fishing in Dali City, Yunnan Province, China [February 19, 2017]
Fiscal Year 2015
Symposium on the Future of Cormorant Fishing on the Nagara River
[Participants: 380 persons; June 6, 2015]
Presenting information in Paris, France [November 10, 2015]
Fiscal Year 2014
Research on techniques for catching Japanese Cormorants [November 25, 2014]
Issuance of pamphlet “Rediscovering Cormorant Fishing on the Nagara River”
[Japanese version: March 2014; English/Chinese version: February 2015]
Fiscal Year 2013
Research on Usho costume [June 18, 2013]
Training seminar for storytellers about cormorant fishing [Observation of an Usho’s house]
[Participants: 38 persons; September 8, 2013]
Fiscal Year 2012
Shooting documentary video on technologies related to cormorant fishing observation boats [July 24, 2012]
Cormorant fishing on the Nagara River forum [Participants: 75 persons; June 7, 2012]
Fiscal Year 2011
Visiting the Nagara River “Origin of the Nagara River – Blessings of nature created by river and woods”
[Organized by Nagaragawa Bunka Forum; Participants: 49 persons; October 29, 2011]
Nagara River Cultural Seminar “Use and Control of the Three Rivers in Kiso”
[Nagaragawa Bunka Forum; Participants: 32 persons; October 29, 2011]
Fiscal Year 2010
Cormorant Fishing on the Nagara River Forum [Participants: 180 persons; May 8, 2010]
Special exhibition “Craftsmanship” – Artisans Supporting Cormorant Fishing –
[Held by the Seki City Board of Education; April 23 to June 13, 2010]
Fiscal Year 2009]
Seminars on cormorant fishing for the general public 2009 [Participants: 165; June 7, 2009]
Research on shipbuilding skills for cormorant fishing observation boats [March 15, 2010]
Fiscal Year 2008
Shooting documentary video [August 7, 2008]
Preview of the documentary video [March 30, 2009]
Fiscal Year 2007
Nagara River Area Cultural Scenery Committee [August 27, 2007]
Meeting on creating documentary video [September 3, 2007]
Fiscal Year 2006
Report preparation (proofreading of description) [February 6, 2007]
Practical Research Report on Cormorant Fishing on the Nagara River [Issued in March 2007]
Fiscal Year 2005
Twilight Seminar: Can cormorant fishing become a world heritage? [Participants: 50 persons; May 24, 2005]
Interview of Usho families [August 8, 2006]
Future Strategies
In 2015, cormorant fishing on the Nagara River was valued by the national government and international institutions, including the fact that the technique of cormorant fishing on the Nagara River was designated to be a national important intangible folk cultural asset of Japan; “Nobunaga’s Omotenashi (Japanese Hospitality Spirit),” the Sengoku Castle Town where the Spirit is Still Alive was certified as Japan Heritage; the Ayu of the Nagara River System – the relationship between people and Ayu in the river running through villages – was certified as a Globally Important Agricultural Heritage Systems (GIAHS), etc. and we made a major progress towards achievement of our goal.
In the future, Gifu City will strive to act strategically under four basic policies aiming for early achievement of its goal, to be listed as UNESCO intangible cultural heritage.
- Preparation
- We will steadily make preparations for filing an application while performing research into the latest trends and case studies of other areas.
- Transmission
- We will make an appeal for cormorant fishing as “cormorant fishing loved by Nobunaga” and “cormorant fishing representing the culture of Ayu and water” in collaboration with Japan Heritage and GIAHS and thereby increase the recognition of cormorant fishing on the Nagara River in and outside Japan.
- Collaboration
- We will engage in activities in the form of the “All Gifu City System” to increase enthusiasm.
- Succession
- In order to ensure the preservation and succession of cormorant fishing on the Nagara River and carrying it forward into the future, we will protectively engage in activities to resolve various issues.