At the Coterace in Tennozaki, Namegata City, there's a reception desk for viewing the sailing ships. To see the sailing ships from the water, you register here and then board a sightseeing boat.
The sightseeing boat was scheduled to depart at 3:30 PM, but we were told to be aware that if the wind was too weak, the sails might not be able to be raised.
We put on life jackets and boarded the sightseeing boat, heading out to sea. To the west, we could see Mount Tsukuba, the "Purple Peak." With nothing obstructing the view on the water, it was a very fresh sight.
As we proceeded offshore, two boats soon appeared on the lake. These were the sailing ships before their sails were raised. As we approached the sailing ships, we saw the fishermen preparing to hoist the sails. It seemed they would be able to raise them.
The captain of my sightseeing boat was Mr. Koshikawa, the representative director of the Aso Fisheries Cooperative in Namegata City. Mr. Koshikawa skillfully steered the boat to allow passengers to get the best position to photograph the sailing ships and Mount Tsukuba. He operated the boat with great care, ensuring safety by avoiding collisions with the sailing ships while also making sure passengers could take photos from the best angles. This seemed like a feat that only a veteran could pull off.
The sails were largely raised. The white sails beautifully contrasted against the blue sky. The sails are said to be 9 meters high and 16 meters wide, making the fishermen on the boat look very small.
Sailing ships were originally used for fishing. In the past, they used to fish at night with sailing ships. The reason for this was supposedly that fish wouldn't escape at night, but fishing at night was said to be very difficult due to the darkness.
Looking at the scenery, with only the sky, water, mountains, and boats, felt like a journey back in time.
The sight of them moving across the lake with the wind has a distinctly Japanese elegance. It's easy to see why they are called the "Ladies of Kasumigaura."
The scenery of the sailing ships is truly beautiful, and as I was engrossed in taking pictures, birds gathered near the boats. It seemed there were fish in the nets set by the sailing ships.
The sightseeing boat drew even closer to the sailing ships, allowing us to see the fishermen pulling up their nets. The passengers were also very curious about how many fish they had caught.
They showed us the fish caught in the nets. They caught a lot of shira-uo (icefish), a specialty of Lake Kasumigaura. These small fish are transparent, shiny, and have cute, round eyes. They are called the "Diamonds of Kasumigaura." The slightly larger, silvery fish are wakasagi (smelt). Wakasagi are also a specialty of Lake Kasumigaura. Both are truly beautiful and sparkling.
Before I knew it, the western sky had turned pink. We headed back to shore.
The shira-uo and wakasagi caught were distributed to the passengers on the sightseeing boat as souvenirs. Shira-uo and wakasagi are often processed into dried fish or tsukudani (simmered in soy sauce), but they are also delicious when eaten as tempura or in egg drop soup.
Being refreshed by the pleasant breeze on the lake and admiring the beautiful scenery, I felt completely rejuvenated both physically and mentally. It was a valuable time to rediscover the charm of my local area.
Text and photos: Hashimoto (Community Collaboration Team)
[2021 Namegata City Sightseeing Sailing Ship Operations]
[Operating Period]
Saturdays and Sundays from October 2nd (Sat) to December 5th (Sun) (Saturdays are for group reservations only. Sundays are for individual reservations only.)
[Reception Locations]
・Aso Area: Inside Tennozaki Tourist Exchange Center Coterace
・Tamatsukuri Area: Temporary reception behind Namegata City Tourist Product Center Koikoi
・Departure Time: 3:30 PM
・Reception Time: From 12:00 PM
[Fees]
Adults 2,000 yen / Children 1,000 yen (Preschoolers free)
[Inquiries]
Namegata City Town Development Promotion Organization 0299-57-6621 (Weekdays only)
*Please note that boarding the sightseeing boat may be canceled due to future conditions of the novel coronavirus infection.