GUIDE TO THE SHIMANTO RIVER

The Shimanto River runs from the richly forested mountains of Oku Shimanto, through western Kochi and out to the Pacific Ocean. One of the cleanest rivers in Japan, its clear waters sustain both local farming and fishing. On its journey from mountain to sea, the Shimanto provides irrigation for rice crops, fruit and vegetable farms and livestock, and water for aquaculture. Aonori and aosa seaweed are harvested from the estuary where the Shimanto meets the Pacific. While most aosa seaweed is farmed, the aonori grows naturally and is renowned for its high quality. The people of Kochi live in harmony with the river, employing traditional fishing techniques such as hiburi, which uses flaming torches to drive ayu (sweetfish) into nets, and shibazuke, which uses sunken clumps of leaves to trap freshwater shrimp and eels.