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31-454: Ushiku is located in southern Ibaraki Prefecture, in the low-lying marshy flatlands south of Lake Kasumigaura . It is about 50 kilometers from central Tokyo. Ushiku has a Humid continental climate (Köppen Cfa ) characterized by warm summers and cool winters with light snowfall. The average annual temperature in Ushiku is 14.0 °C. The average annual rainfall is 1304 mm with September as

62-523: A mayor-council form of government with a directly elected mayor and a unicameral city council of 22 members. Ushiku contributes two members to the Ibaraki Prefectural Assembly. In terms of national politics, the city is part of Ibaraki 3rd district of the lower house of the Diet of Japan . Ushiku is a local commercial center and has a small industrial park . It is also a commuter town for

93-454: A ban on the use and sale of phosphate-containing synthetic detergents , and the control of nitrogen and phosphorus contents in the effluent from factories. In order to help maintain the lake, dredging work is being carried out around the lake and at the estuaries of main inflowing rivers, such as Sakura River (桜川). Smelts Allosmerus Hypomesus Mallotus Osmerus Spirinchus Thaleichthys Smelts are

124-507: A breaded-like coating mixed with lemon juice and grated parmesan cheese (with a few other basic ingredients) to coat the smelts prior to frying them. Smelt is popular in Japan, as the species Sprinchus lanceolatus , and is generally served grilled, called shishamo , especially when full of eggs. Smelt roe , specifically from capelin , called masago in Japanese, is yellow to orange in color and

155-608: A family of small fish , the Osmeridae , found in the North Atlantic and North Pacific oceans, as well as rivers, streams and lakes in Europe, North America and Northeast Asia. They are also known as freshwater smelts or typical smelts to distinguish them from the related Argentinidae (herring smelts or argentines), Bathylagidae (deep-sea smelts), and Retropinnidae (Australian and New Zealand smelts). Some smelt species are common in

186-454: A flashlight or headlamp and scooped out of the water using a dip net made of nylon or metal mesh. The smelt are cleaned by removing the head and the entrails. Fins, scales, and bones of all but the largest of smelts are cooked without removal. On the Maine coast, smelts were also a sign of spring, with the run of these small fish up tiny tidal estuaries. Many of these streams were narrow enough for

217-607: A high price on the market, but provided a source of supplemental income due to their abundance. The smelts were "flash frozen" simply by leaving them on the ice and then sold to fish buyers who came down the rivers. In the present day, smelts are fished commercially using nets at sea, and for recreation by hand-netting, spearing or angling them through holes in river ice. They are often the target fish of small 'fishing shack' villages that spring up along frozen rivers. Typical ways of preparing them include pan-frying in flour and butter, deep-frying in batter and cooking them, directly out of

248-519: A person to straddle and get a good catch of smelts by dipping a bucket. Smelts are an important winter catch in the saltwater mouths of rivers in New England and the Maritime Provinces of Canada . Fishermen would historically go to customary locations over the ice using horses and sleighs. Smelt taken out of the cold saltwater were preferred to those taken in warm water. The fish did not command

279-681: Is a play on words: "Lewiston never smelt so good." Lithuania celebrates an annual weekend smelt festival in Palanga "Palangos Stinta" early every January. The American Legion Post 82, in Port Washington, Wisconsin , has been hosting its annual Smelt Fry since 1951. Located on the Western shore of Lake Michigan, 35 miles North of Milwaukee, Port Washington has a long history as a fishing community with commercial and sports ventures. The Legion's Smelt Fry happens every year in mid to late April. In mid-July,

310-858: Is often used in sushi . Smelt is also served in Chinese dim sum restaurants where it is deep fried with the heads and tails attached, identified as duō chūn yú ( 多春魚 ) or duō luǎn yú ( 多卵魚 ), "many egg fish" or which loosely translates as "fish with many eggs". Smelt is one of the prime fish species eaten in Tamil Nadu as Nethili fry, Nethili karuvadu (dried fish), coastal Karnataka , especially in Mangalore and Udupi regions, usually fried with heads and tailed removed or in curries. They are called 'Bolingei' (ಬೊಳಂಜೆ) in Kannada and Tulu and 'MotiyaLe' in Konkani . In

341-529: Is the second-largest lake in Japan , located 60 km to the north-east of Tokyo . In a narrower sense and officially, Lake Kasumigaura refers to a waterbody with an area of 167.63 km . In a wider sense, Lake Kasumigaura can also refer to a group of contiguous lakes , which includes Lake Kasumigaura proper, hereby referred to as Nishiura (西浦), and two smaller lakes, Kitaura (北浦; 35.16 km ) and Sotonasakaura (外浪逆浦; 5.85 km ), and also encompasses

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372-719: Is the beautiful Kasumi freshwater pearls . They were known for their high luster and rosy hues, which is the result of a four-year cultivation period. However, in 2006, cultivation was discontinued as cheap freshwater pearls from China proved too difficult to compete against. The water from Lake Kasumigaura has long been used for the irrigation of paddy fields in the surrounding alluvial plain and upland fields on diluvial terraces covered by thick deposits of volcanic ash . The primary crops are rice and lotus root (a local speciality). Other crops include tomato , cucumber , eggplant , watermelon , corn , edamame , sweet potato , kabocha , daikon and peanut . Many tourists come to

403-418: Is used for fishing , irrigation , tourism , recreation , and for consumption by the surrounding public and local industry. A variety of fish can be caught from the waters of Lake Kasumigaura, including smelt , Japanese icefish , crucian carp , goby , Japanese eel and river prawn . The most popular catch is cultivated carp, followed by smelt and goby. Another cultivated treasure from Lake Kasumigaura

434-449: The Eurasian coot are a few of the birds seen around the lake. Lake Kasumigaura provides over 60 tons of water per second; most goes to agriculture (83%). The rest is provided to local industry (13%) and public (4%) in the prefectures of Ibaraki , Chiba and Tokyo . Eutrophication is a serious problem for Lake Kasumigaura. Legislation was enacted in 1982 to help prevent it, including

465-616: The North American Great Lakes , and in the lakes and seas of the northern part of Europe, where they run in large schools along the saltwater coastline during spring migration to their spawning streams. In some western parts of the United States, smelt populations have greatly declined in recent decades, leading to their protection under the Endangered Species Act. The Delta smelt ( Hypomesus transpacificus ) found in

496-776: The Sacramento Delta of California, and the eulachon ( Thaleichthys pacificus ) found in the Northeast Pacific and adjacent rivers, are both protected from harvest. Some species of smelts are among the few fish that sportsmen have been allowed to net, using hand-held dip nets , either along the coastline or in streams. Some sportsmen also ice fish for smelt. They are often fried and eaten whole. In size, most species rarely exceed 20 centimetres (8 inches), although some grow larger. Some females of European smelt can reach 25–40 cm (9,8–15,7 in) in length. Like salmon, many species are anadromous , living most of their lives in

527-573: The Tokugawa shogunate in the Edo period . The village of Ushiku was created after the Meiji restoration with the establishment of the modern municipalities system on April 1, 1889. On January 1, 1954 it was elevated to town status and to city status on June 1, 1986. On January 31, 2020, a magnitude 5.3 earthquake hit 6 kilometres west of the town. The official time of the earthquake was 17:07:47 (UTC). Ushiku has

558-603: The Tokyo Metropolis. However, the local economy remains based on agriculture, primarily rice cultivation. Ushiku has eight public elementary schools and six public middle schools operated by the city government, and two public high schools operated by the Ibaraki Prefectural Board of Education. The city also has one private combined middle/high school. [REDACTED] JR East – Jōban Line Lake Kasumigaura Lake Kasumigaura ( 霞ヶ浦 , Kasumigaura )

589-502: The best choices of freshwater and saltwater fish to eat, as one of the types of edible fish with the lowest amount of mercury. Smelts can be found in the Atlantic and Pacific oceans, as well as in some freshwater lakes across Canada. Smelts were eaten by many different native peoples who had access to them. One popular way that First Nations of the Pacific coast made dried smelts more appealing

620-426: The city of Inje , South Korea ( Gangwon Province ), an Ice Fishing Festival is held annually from January 30 to February 2 on Soyang Lake, coinciding with the smelt's yearly run into fresh water to spawn. They are locally known as bing-eo (빙어) and typically eaten alive or deep-fried. In Finland, the province of Paltamo has yearly Norssikarnevaali festivals in the middle of May. For some Italians, especially from

651-430: The lake from its sources of ocean water. As a result, the salinity of Lake Kasumigaura declined, and today the lake contains fresh water. This lake was famous for its traditional fishery during the Edo period . But today, fishing production has drastically decreased due to water quality deterioration that was partially caused by the closure of the tide gate in 1963 for purposes of desalination. Today, Lake Kasumigaura

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682-587: The lake in the summer to view the Hobikibune (帆引き船) sailed fishing boats which are unique to Lake Kasumigaura. The Suigo aquapark , located in Tsuchiura , is popular during the hottest months. The windmill of Kasumigaura comprehensive park is a popular site along the shores throughout the year and especially in the spring when the tulips are flowering. The lake is a recreation hotspot. Sport fishing enthusiasts and anglers can be found close to shore and around

713-638: The lower portion of the Niagara River, celebrates an annual two-day smelt festival the first weekend in May. During the festival, approximately 160 kilograms (350 pounds) of smelt are battered and fried at the Lewiston Waterfront. The smelt samples are free during the festival and donations are welcome, as they help support programs supported by the Niagara River Anglers. The festival has a motto, which

744-758: The quaint town hosts their Fish Day event, billed as "The world's largest, one-day, outdoor fish fry!" At the time of the smelt's spring run in the Neva River at the head of the Gulf of Finland on the Baltic Sea in Saint Petersburg , a Smelt Festival  [ ru ] ( Prazdnik koryushki ) is celebrated. The Magic Smelt Puppet Troupe of Duluth, Minnesota has held an annual "Run, Smelt, Run!" puppet-based second line parade, smelt fry, and dance party since 2012. The troupe occasionally hosts other performances throughout

775-686: The region of Calabria , fried smelts are a traditional part of the Christmas Eve dinner consisting of multiple courses of fish. In 1956, the Chamber of Commerce in Kelso, Washington , declared Kelso, located on the Cowlitz River , as the "Smelt Capital of the World". They erected billboards proclaiming this, and held festivals for the annual smelt runs until the runs dried up. The village of Lewiston, New York , on

806-553: The river mouths surrounding the lake. Recreational boats , such as yachts , power boats , sail boats and personal watercraft , are regularly enjoyed on warm weekends. The wide surrounding wetlands are wonderful for birdwatching , as large numbers of water fowl can be observed, primarily during the wintering period. Japanese cormorant , Bewick’s swan , little egret , grey heron , mallard , Eurasian wigeon , striated heron , sharp-tailed sandpiper , bush warbler , wood sandpiper , marsh grassbird , Japanese reed bunting , and

837-513: The rivers connecting them. In this case the total area is 220 km . About 45% of the land surrounding the lake is natural landscape and 43.5% is agricultural land. Lake Kasumigaura originally was a brackish-water lagoon , with indirect connections to the Pacific Ocean via the Hitachigawa and Tone Rivers. In 1963, the construction of a gate near the confluence of these rivers disconnected

868-574: The sea, but traveling into fresh water to breed. However, a few exceptions, such as the surf smelt , spend their entire lives at sea. Salangidae, Plecoglossus Hypomesus Mallotus Osmerus Thaleichthys Allosmerus Spirinchus In the Canadian provinces and U.S. states around the Great Lakes , "smelt dipping" is a common group sport in the early spring and when stream waters reach around 4 °C (39 °F). Fish are spotted using

899-518: The water, over small stoves in the shacks. Indigenous peoples in Canada native to the Great Lakes regions (Lake Huron, Lake Ontario, and Lake Superior), as well as nearby Lake Erie (which still is well known for its smelts today), were both familiar and partially dependent upon smelts as a dietary source of protein and omega fats that didn't require a large effort or hunting party to obtain. Smelts are one of

930-507: The wettest month. The temperatures are highest on average in August, at around 25.9 °C, and lowest in January, at around 3.0 °C. Per Japanese census data, the population of Ushiku has grown nearly ninefold over the past 100 years, with especially rapid growth taking place in the late 20th century. The area of Ushiku developed as a castle town around Ushiku Domain , a feudal holding under

961-404: Was to serve it with oil. Eulachon, a type of smelt, contains so much oil during spawning that, once dried, it can literally be burned like a candle; hence its common nickname of the "candlefish". Today, there are numerous recipes and methods of preparing and cooking smelts. A popular First Nations recipe calls for the removal of all the fishes' bones, uses canola or peanut oil for frying, and has

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