Cormorant fishing season opens in central Japan, luxury boat set to debut

GIFU, Japan - The 1,300-year-old "ukai" cormorant fishing tradition returned to the Nagara River in central Japan's Gifu on Monday, as master fishermen clad in traditional garb deftly worked hand ropes to steer their trained birds under torchlight, drawing cheers from a spellbound crowd at the season's start.

This year, Gifu is debuting a charter-only luxury viewing boat designed by Eiji Mitooka -- the creative force behind JR Kyushu's celebrated Seven Stars in Kyushu sleeper train -- with service set to launch around summer at 400,000 yen ($2,500) per charter, plus meals.