A Culture of Water and Diet

A Culture of Water and Diet

"Water," having had such an effect on the lifestyle and prayers of people, has also helped nurture livelihoods and dietary culture unique to the region.
Traditional fishing methods that take full advantage of a complete understanding of the nature of fish are part of the unique seasonal makeup and scenery of Lake Biwa.
Furthermore, fish from Lake Biwa have long supported the diets of people living nearby, leading to the creation of many traditional local dishes. These are also closely tied to festivals seeking a bountiful harvest and other traditional ceremonies, and traditional dishes using endemic species from Lake Biwa can still be sampled today.

Cultural assets comprising the "Culture of Water and Diet"

Traditional Methods of Fishing

  • Oisade (net) fishing

  • Yana (weir) fishing

  • Eri (trap) fishing

Traditional Regional Dishes (Shiga Dietary Cultural Assets)

  • Lake fish dishes

  • Prawns & beans

  • Funazushi

Fish species representative of Lake Biwa

  • Biwa trout

  • Koayu

  • Nigoro-buna

  • Three-lips

  • Willow gudgeon

  • Isaza goby

  • Urori

  • Lake prawn

Traditional ritual

  • Omi Kenketo Festival / Ritual of Cutting Funazushi with a Long Knife