Shirasu（immature eel/ "whitebait") hatch in the distant sea and travel to Japan. Then from winter until spring they return to the fresh waterways of the Japanese mainland. This type of shirasu are caught at night. Around this time is when the shirasu can be seen near the entrance to rivers throughout Tokushima Prefecture.
As the daylight fades, fishing boats assemble at the fishing grounds. To find the juvenile marine creatures, the river is illuminated in dazzling lights. Tokushima's largest river, the Yoshino River, had up to 100 fishing vessels traverse its waters during its heydays.
Viewing shirasu fishing is a majestic scene. On this day I found shirasu fishing in downtown Tokushima along the Shinmachi River. The lights of the fishing boats and lights of the city melt together to produce a beautiful scene along the Yoshino River.
