Photo/Illutration The fishing pier at Lake Toyotako, which has been temporarily closed due to the low water levels caused by a continued lack of rainfall. Photo taken Jan. 5 (Provided by Shimonoseki city government)

SHIMONOSEKI, Yamaguchi Prefecture--“Wakasagi” Japanese smelt fishing, a typical cold winter’s activity in a famed lake here, is a bust this year due to unprecedented low water levels.

Other areas have also suffered from a lack of rainfall since last September.

It is the first time in the event’s nearly half-century history for it to be canceled for this reason. The 49th Lake Toyotako smelt fishing contest was scheduled for Feb. 4 at Toyotakohan Park in Shimonoseki.

The lack of continued rainfall since last autumn has even led to anglers being barred from fishing from the pier.

Smelt fishing at Lake Toyotako typically attracts families and couples from around December to March, making it a “winter tradition,” according to park officials.

The annual festival mainly attracts smelt-fishing fans across western Japan. Participants compete on the size of their catches.

On Dec. 8, the use of the pier was banned as the lack of rainfall since September
made it steep and dangerous.

The smelt fishing festival has faced various challenges in recent years and was canceled for three consecutive years. In 2020, it was called off a week before its scheduled date due to a fatal accident involving an angler. It was canceled again in 2021 and 2022 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

This year, with no prospect of the water levels recovering and fishing pier usage remaining uncertain, the Toyotakohan Park management foundation, the organizer of the festival, decided to cancel after consulting with the Shimonoseki city government and other stakeholders.

“We apologize to all the fans who were looking forward to it,” said a representative from the foundation. “We hope that they can look forward to next year, as we believe that skipping fishing this year will mean more smelt to catch next year.”

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