Wednesday, November 3, 2010

Rokkasho Salmon Festival

Sunday, October 31

Rakkasho Salmon Festival Flyer


Rokkasho is a small village along the Pacific Ocean, about 20 miles (45 minutes drive) northwest of Misawa Air Base. Sangyo Industry Festival, better known as the Rokkasho Salmon Festival, is held annually on the last weekend of October and features bare-handed salmon catching as the main event. Entrance to the festival is free; however, a ticket is required to enter to pool area and participate in the hands-on salmon catch. Tickets may be purchased in advance from Misawa ITT or on-site at the festival, providing they have not sold out.


It's best to prepay for tickets from Misawa ITT;
none were available at the event
Salmon catching guidelines

Saturday features three rounds of salmon catching and racing while Sunday only offers two. Two pools with thigh-deep water contain almost 2,000 salmon. After entering the catch area, participants encircle the pool’s perimeter, wait for the signal to plunge in, and have three minutes to capture salmon. Those participating in the catch should bring wading boots, gloves, and a change of clothes.


Ready and waiting for salmon
Notice the Japanese boy on right in swim trunks
Bbrr ... it was a cold day 50F
Water was only supposed to be ankle deep
These children must be acclimated to the cold water

Participants who cannot catch live salmon may exchange their ticket for a dead one after the three minutes have expired. Additionally, festival organizers provide people to offer free gutting and slicing services. Styrofoam containers and ice can be purchase for about ¥400 to preserve your catch.


Capturing salmon for sale

For people interested acquiring fresh salmon but not catching it, there is usually a salmon give-away on Saturday to each of the first 400 people starting at 9:30 AM (get in line early). On Sunday, at the end of the day, all salmon are caught from each of the pools and sold at a discount.

Children's catch
Wash blood off entrails and body before bagging it all up
Salmon cleaned for free
Deft skills gutting salmon

Other events at the festival include more traditional-style salmon fishing from a pond, a free fishing contest on Sunday, seafood and vegetable wholesale markets, a beef barbecue, pedicure booth, cultural dances, local entertainment, and bingo. A variety of contests – peeling squid, grating nagaimo, drinking sake (for adults), drinking milk (for children), and transferring clams into a bottle using chopsticks – happen inside the Bar-B-Que quonset.


Bar-B-Que Area - yakuniku and veggies
Grilled Squid
Fishing nets
Just in case you don't want to participate in the salmon catch, there's plenty onsite for purchase
Squid for purchase - raw, dried, shaved, etc.
Typical matsuri food vendors
Hot yakisoba

Lots of friendly faces

Although not advertised any flyers, I learned through Simon Bernard’s Hakkoda Powder website there were two additional activities on Sunday morning. At 8:00 AM, the Tohoku Strong Horse Iron Pull Competition occurred in which horses in different classes pull up to 500 kilograms (about 1,100 pounds) of weight on sleds uphill and downhill. The other event I would have liked to see, which may repulse animal lovers, was the Mastiff Dog Wresting, which is culturally accepted in Aomori. I can’t imagine these large canines wrestling until one whelps to end the match. Alas, to arrive at Rokkasho and be situated ready to watch by 8:00 AM would have required my husband, toddler, and infant ready, packed, and out the door, at the latest, by 6:30 AM.


Salmon statues overlooking Pacific Ocean
2010 Schedule of events

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