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The 33rd Sumida River Salmon Release

Last Update : 2017-03-07 16:12

On March 4, 2017, Sumida River Salmon Release took place at the Etchujima Campus and bustled with more than 500 visitors that included guests and elementary schoolchildren and their parents from Koto-ku and other neighboring areas.

Sumida River Salmon Release is annually held by the Sumida River Salmon Society with a wish to bring back salmon and a fresh stream to the Sumida River. This year marks the 33rd anniversary of the event.

A speech by Mr. Tsuneo Kitagawa, chairperson of the Sumida River Salmon Society, kicked off the ceremony, followed by important guests such as Mr. Takaaki Yamazaki, mayor of Koto-ku, and Mr. Mito Kakizawa, a member of the House of Representatives. On behalf of the Tokyo University of Marine Science and Technology, Masaaki Inaishi, vice president, gave a speech. The release of juvenile salmon was preceded by a prayer for freshening the stream of the Sumida River and for the return of the salmon.

Having received salmon roes from Yamada-machi, Iwate prefecture in last October, the local elementary schoolchildren carefully grew the roes by learning how to grow salmon roes into juveniles.

The children released the juveniles which they had carefully grown, from the pond in the premises of the Etchujima Campus. "Stay healthy and grow up. See you again." The children talked to the juveniles as they saw the fish off.

This year's Sumida River Salmon Release also featured a performance of toramai, traditional performing arts of Yamada-machi, a lecture on how Yamada-machi was affected by the Great East Japan Earthquake and a tour of Meiji Maru within the premises of the University. The children enjoyed them very much.