Edogawa Goldfish Festival

• The Edogawa Goldfish Festival originally scheduled for the third week of August has been canceled due to the coronavirus outbreak.

In Edogawa, the city pays homage to its status as one of the Top 3 goldfish producers in Japan. Year round, you’ll discover plenty of artwork with goldfish lining the cityscape, but if you’re in Tokyo in summer, stop by for a festival that’s dedicated to the fish.

Why all the fuss about goldfish?

Their cultivation began in Edogawa in the Meiji period, some 400 years after goldfish were brought to Japan via China as ornamental pets strictly for the upper class.

Goldfish farming took off after the Great Kanto Earthquake of 1923, but rapid urbanization of the area nearly crippled the industry until great efforts were taken to revitalize it.

The Edogawa Goldfish Festival is the city’s way of preserving its history and is one of the most popular summer events in Edogawa Ward. It’s a two-day event filled with local food and fish-related fun, attracting families and goldfish aficionados from all over.

Get the scoop

The main event for this festival is kingyo-sukui, or goldfish scooping, and nearly 20,000 fish are set aside just for this game. Each play costs ¥100 for adults and is free for children middle school aged and younger, making it inexpensive fun that can be enjoyed by all ages.

A game of great patience and skill, players stand around a shallow pool filled with goldfish. The goal is to successfully scoop up as many goldfish as you can and place them in a bowl of water without tearing your poi (a lightweight, flat “scooper”) that looks like a circle covered with tissue paper-like material. Any fish that are caught are yours to take home.

In addition, you can watch a goldfish-scooping championship, or check out fish and other aquatic animals and aquariums.

But, the event is not just about goldfish. There’s plenty of stalls, selling traditional festival foods and drink. One local dish to try is soba noodles made from komatsuna, a vitamin and nutrient-rich leafy green vegetable that is heartily grown in Edogawa.