By Iain Maloney

Travel May. 28, 2009 - 03:26AM JST ( 1 )

The Kiso river is often called the Nihon Rhine after its resemblance to the Rhine in Germany, but it was a major focal point of life in Chubu long before anyone had ever heard of Europe. Although still vital for industry, around Inuyama the river’s primary function is now that of entertainment.

Two main options draw tourists to the river: fishing and boating. I’ll deal with the latter first.

Advertised as “Shooting the Nihon Rhine Rapids,” in reality it’s no such thing. Rather, this is a gentle meander down a gorgeous stretch of river, culminating in sight of Inuyama castle. True, there’s some white water but the rocking of the boat is more often caused by the two-man crew than aquatic turbulence.

It’s worth doing if you have a free afternoon in Inuyama, especially if you have children. The view is spectacular, the high-sided boat means it’s perfectly safe for the younger and smaller, and - the highlight for me - the crew lure hovering falcons remarkably close to the boat by flinging food into the air. Seeing a bird of prey swoop and grab something from mid-air only a few meters above your head is an awe-inspiring sight.

A shuttle bus picks you up at the Ukai booking office (more on this later) near Meitetsu Inuyamayuen station, and takes you for free to the launch site. The trip lasts just under an hour and ends where the bus journey began. Check times with the Inuyama Tourist Information Office as they vary throughout the year, and remember to bring sunscreen in summer, as the boat is open to the elements.

Ukai booking office, you ask? Ukai is not for the squeamish nor for the animal rights liberationist. It is a traditional form of fishing utilizing the natural instincts of the cormorant. The fisherman stands in the prow of his boat with around 10 lengths of wire gripped tight. At the end of each piece of wire is a noose. Through this noose is the neck of a cormorant. The birds do what comes naturally and catch fish, but the wire stops them from swallowing. The fisherman reels them in and, by massaging the birds neck, forces it to cough up the fish into the boat.

As a method of gathering food, it’s effective though presumably only once you’ve caught and trained your cormorants. It’s not hard to see how the net won out as the preferred method of large-scale catching. It’s more as a spectacle that ukai fishing wins out.

The trip for the visitor can begin with dinner onboard. It costs quite a bit extra and in the height of summer, includes numerous insects as dining guests. We chose instead to sit on the bank with our feet in the water and drink a few beers.

As the sun sets, the after-dinner guests board and drift out into the middle of the river, and come alongside the fishing boat. A long, shallow craft, the most prominent feature of the fishing boat is the blazing log fire suspended from the prow. A beautiful sight in the dark, it casts an atmospheric light over the water making the whole experience seem mysterious and otherworldly. I couldn’t help wondering who first came up with the idea of putting a roaring fire on a wooden boat in the middle of a river. That must’ve been an interesting conversation to witness.

The convoy casually drifts down river, the cormorants emptying their gullets into the boat, the tourists snapping cameras and swatting mosquitoes. Since it takes place at night the boats are a magnet for all kinds of insects. I was fortunate enough to have a heavy smoker with me who chain-smoked an insect-free-zone into existence, but if you are not so lucky, do bring repellent. It’s perfectly acceptable to bring your own food and drink on board, although do remember that you will be adrift for about an hour, and there are no toilets on board.

This stretch of the Kiso, from Minokamo to Inuyama is a rough, stunning area, with many great hiking routes, relaxing parks and hidden treasures and is one of the reasons I fell in love with Japan when I first came here. Inuyama is often described as somewhere to go if you have a spare day in Nagoya, but in reality there is much to reward those who stay for longer.

Ukai is also available on the Nagaragawa in Gifu, although it isn’t as good as in Inuyama, mainly because you don’t get taken as close to the action, and the surroundings are not as beautiful.

Inuyamayuen station is about 30 minutes from Nagoya on the Meitetsu line. You may have to change at Inuyama station.