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Traditional Cormorant Fisherman / 宮内庁式部職鵜匠
#018 Traditional Ukai Cormorant Fisherman, Yamashita Tetsuji /鵜匠・山下哲司_01
2013.07.15 [INTERVIEW,INTERVIEW LIST,Traditional Cormorant Fisherman, Yamashita Tetsuji / 鵜匠・山下哲司さん,WHAT'S NEW]
宮内庁式部職鵜匠 / 山下 哲司
日本で9名のみ。代々世襲制によって受け継がれ、伝統を守り続けている。
Traditional Cormorant Fisherman, Yamashita Tetsuji
Yamashita Tetsuji was born in Gifu in 1955 to a traditional Ukai family. He inherited the hereditary
position, and was named an Imperial Household Agency Board of Ceremonies Official Cormorant
Fisherman in 1987. He is one of just nine people across the nation responsible for supplying ayu
sweetfish to the Imperial Family. In 1991, Mr. Yamashita performed Ukai, cormorant fishing in
Cincinnati, USA, and continues to practice, preserve and promote the ancient art.
History of Ukai / 代々受け継がれる鵜匠の仕事
—The Yamashita family has a long history of Ukai cormorant fishing hasn’t it?
山下家は「鵜匠」として、長い歴史がありますよね?山下さんは何代目ですか?
I’m not exactly sure how long, as records no longer exist, but my father
was the 18th, and I am the 19th generation Usho, cormorant fisherman.
We’ve been doing this for many generations.
家系図がないので正確なことはわかりませんが、父が18代目、私が19代目
です。かなり古くから この仕事をやっていて、代々世襲してきました。
—When did you decide to carry on the family tradition?
いつ「鵜匠になるんだ」と、自覚していたんですか?
I think it was about the time I graduated from university. I realized
my father was getting older and needed assistance. I also thought
that as I was born into this traditional family, it was my responsibility
to continue and preserve the art and the Nagara River. That’s when
I began to help him in earnest.
真剣に考え始めたのは、大学を卒業する頃かな。「あぁ、父も年を取ったから
手伝わないと」と思ったし、「せっかく、この家に生まれたんだから、歴史と伝統のある長良川の鵜飼を
守らなければ」という思いで、本格的に手伝い始めました。
—What sort of training did you undertake to become an Usho?
「鵜匠」になるために、どんな修行をしたんですか?
Basically I watched my father. I followed him, observing from the boat while acting as an assistant
and guiding the boat, watching how he handled the leash ropes. My father passed away suddenly
one December, and the following May, I was carrying on his work as a traditional cormorant fisherman.
鵜匠である父の横に乗って舟を動かす「中乗り」という仕事をしながら、どういう時に、どうやって、手縄
(たなわ)をさばくのか、基本的には、鵜匠の仕事を見て覚えるということですね。僕の場合は、父が12月に
突然亡くなってしまって、翌年の5月から突然、鵜匠になったんです。
—Not a good situation. Do you remember much from your first time as an Usho?
それは、大変ですよね。はじめて「鵜匠」として仕事をした時のことは覚えていますか?
Yes, of course I remember, suddenly I found myself doing things I’d only watched being done.
Even though my head knew what had to be done, the body didn’t always follow. It was a desperate
situation, but somehow I managed the ropes, although I wasn’t sure which cormorant had scooped
up a sweetfish, nor understand the timing involved putting the pine logs in the bonfire, and avoiding
getting burned (laughs). I don’t think I did so well, that’s what I remember!
もちろん覚えています。今までは見ているだけだったことを今度は実際に自分がやらなければいけない。
頭ではわかっていても、体がついていかない。とにかく必死で手縄をさばきました。鵜が鮎を捕るを見る余裕も
なかったし、かがり火の松をくべるタイミングもわからないし、一生懸命やりすぎて火傷もしたしね(笑)
「思うようにできなかった…」というのが、最初の思い出です。父がいる間に「もっと、聞いておけば良かった」
と思うことは、たくさんありましたよ。
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