Freshwater Eels in Japan: Natural History and Culture [Japanese]

About this book

Language: Japanese

While clarifying the ecology of eels in rivers and estuaries, this book considers Japan's rivers and natural environments, which are important for eel conservation. The authors also trace the history of eels, which have long been loved by Japanese people for their food and culture, and consider the past, present, and future of eels and Japan.

Eels have been attracting attention in recent years due to their decline. Although they have been said to be "mysterious", research on wild eels has progressed in recent years, and this book explores their ecology. The photos are lavishly made using dynamic and never-before-seen underwater shots by Ryu Uchiyama, who is renowned for his underwater photography. Some of the photos used are valuable and will be shown for the first time in Japan.

In the first half, Professor Wakiya, a fish ecology expert, explains what kind of fish eels are and provides an illustrated guide to eels that live in Japan, including the black-spotted eel, whose glass eel was recently discovered in Japan for the first time. The second half of the book is led by Professor Kaifu, an expert in conservation ecology, who provides a visual explanation of the ecology of eels in rivers and estuaries along with his latest findings and research results. Chapter 4 deals with eel culture, fishing methods, and food that have continued from the Jomon and Edo periods to the present day. Chapter 5 considers Japan's rivers and natural environment, which are important for conserving Japanese eels, whose decline is currently a cause for concern.

This is the definitive book on Japanese eels.

Summary in Japanese:
ウナギの川や河口域での生態を明らかにしながら、ウナギの保全に重要な日本の河川・自然環境を考えます。また、食や文化などから古くから日本人に愛されてきたその歴史をたどり、ウナギと日本の過去、現在、未来を考えます。

近年減少が騒がれ、注目されるウナギ。「謎が多い」とされてきたものの、近年研究が進んできた野生ウナギの生態に迫ります。写真には、水中写真に定評のある内山りゅう氏の水中からのダイナミックなカットや見たこともないカットを贅沢に使用。使用写真の中には本邦初公開となる貴重な写真も含まれます。

前半部は、ウナギとはどのような魚なのか？ といった解説や、近年日本ではじめてシラスウナギが見つかったウグマウナギを含めた日本に生息するウナギの図鑑部分を魚類生態学の専門家である脇谷先生が、担当します。後半部では、保全生態学の専門家である海部先生による最新の知見や研究成果とともに、川や河口域でのウナギの生態をビジュアルで解説する第3章、縄文～江戸～現在まで続くウナギ文化や漁法、そして食に関する第4章、さらに現在減少が騒がれるニホンウナギの保全に重要な日本の河川・自然環境を考える第5章と続きます。

日本のウナギ属魚類書籍の決定版です。

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