1. The Samurai Attendant Left His Post Due to an Injury at the Castle
The author was Tsugaru Uneme (whose real name was Masatora). He was a hatamoto, a direct retainer of the Shogun, from a branch of the Tsugaru family that ruled 4,000 koku in Kuroishi. He is said to have been born in 1667 [2].
Uneme was selected to serve as a "shoken," a personal attendant to the Shogun. This role was like that of a secretary, serving close to the Shogun. However, he injured his left foot while inside Edo Castle. Because of this injury, he resigned from his post and moved to a "yoriai," which was a less active official position [1]. The specific details of how the injury happened are not written in the historical records.
After this event, he wrote "Kasenroku." The name "Uneme" is read as "uneme," and the book title "Kasenroku" is read as "kasenroku." His real name, Masatora, is sometimes read as "Masatake" in different records, so the exact pronunciation is not fixed [2]. A person who had been so close to the Shogun left behind a book that described fishing spots and tools in detail. So, what was fishing like as a hobby in Edo at that time?
2. How Fishing Resumed in Edo After a Period of Prohibition
Just before "Kasenroku" was written, there was a time when fishing was banned in Edo. During the era of Shogun Tsunayoshi, there was a period of about 15 years when fishing was prohibited [1].
When Tsunayoshi died, the ban was immediately lifted, and fishing culture became popular again [1]. Some samurai considered fishing to be a form of martial arts practice or a refined skill [1].
Interestingly, fishing in Edo did not form "schools" or lineages like swordsmanship did. Instead of teachings being passed from a fixed master to a disciple, it is thought to have grown as a personal hobby [1]. This book was not a secret manual of a school, but a three-volume work written by one samurai under his own name. It contains a wide range of topics, from fishing spots to tools and weather. So, what is written in these three volumes?
3. The Three Volumes Covered Fishing Spots, Tools, and Weather
"Kasenroku" begins with a guide to fishing spots in Edo-mae, which means the Edo Bay area. After that, it mainly explains the techniques for catching whiting (kisu). It breaks down the explanation into parts: the rod, hook, line, weight, float, and bait, using detailed diagrams [2]. The end of the book contains information on how to read the weather in Edo Bay [2].
The World Encyclopedia describes similar contents. It states that the three volumes include detailed fishing spots from Shinagawa in Tokyo Bay to the Kanagawa side, how to predict weather, and information on rods, hooks, and weights [3]. The two sources overlap in the range of topics covered.
The book progresses in the order of fishing spots, tools and bait, and then weather. This allows the reader to follow a logical flow: decide where to go, gather the tools, and then look at the sky. Let us look at one example each from the tools and weather sections. First, the fishing hooks.
4. The Hook Chapter Lists 33 Types, Some Designed to Stretch When Caught
The hook section introduces 33 different types of fishing hooks [1]. Even for the same type of whiting fishing, they used many different shapes of hooks.
The hooks of that time were made to be soft. They were designed so that if a "root snag" occurred—where the hook gets caught on the sea bottom—the hook would stretch and come loose [1]. Instead of getting stuck and becoming impossible to move, the idea was to make them bend on purpose.
Why did they do this? The sources do not write down the specific reason, so we cannot decide on one cause here. What is known is that there were 33 types of hooks and that they had the softness to stretch when snagged. Fishing is not decided just by having the right tools. Next, we look at reading the sky.
5. A Legend About Clouds Leaving Mount Fuji and Strong Winds is in the Last Volume
The last volume deals with fishing seasons and how to read the weather. One example listed is a legend that says when clouds leave Mount Fuji, strong winds blow [4].
The wisdom of predicting weather by observing the sky and clouds is called "kanten bouki." For fishermen who take boats out to sea, whether the wind will get stronger is a critical issue, even more important than whether the fish will bite.
This is one example where clouds around Mount Fuji served as a sign. However, legends are not as certain as modern weather forecasts. Can you test these legends with your own eyes? We will consider this in the final section, adapted for modern life.
Safety Note: Fishing boats cannot go out if the wind is strong, and if they are already out, the danger increases.
6. A Book That Was Not Published Survived Through Hand-Copied Manuscripts
"Kasenroku" was never published. Sources explain that this was because the content was too specialized. Only a few enthusiasts hand-copied the book, and these copied versions barely survived to today [2]. Only handwritten copies survive; it was never printed.
The most famous fishing book in the world is "The Compleat Angler" by Walton from Britain, written in 1653. "Kasenroku" was written in 1723, which is about 70 years later (1723 minus 1653 equals 70) [2].
In comparisons of the two books, "The Compleat Angler" is evaluated as a book of philosophy and enlightenment, while "Kasenroku" is a technical manual. Even though both deal with fishing, they were read differently and were born about 70 years apart [2].
There is an interpretation that the author's feelings are shown in the title. The preface contains phrases like "often avoiding the dust of the world" and "the wise enjoy water." Sources speculate that the title means, "If you know the joy of fishing, what else would you envy?" [2]. A person who left the path of career advancement found joy by the water. The title may have contained such feelings.
7. Try Edo's Weather Reading by Tracking Clouds and Wind for One Week
Let us try the weather reading from "Kasenroku" in our modern lives. For one week, look at the sky from a window at the same time each day. Write down the direction the clouds are moving and the strength of the wind in a notebook.
Finally, compare the differences day by day. It is okay if you do not find a rule in such a short observation. It is good to test it with the understanding that legends are not guaranteed like modern weather forecasts.
If you want to read the book itself, modern Japanese translations are available. They are "Reading 'Kasenroku'" by Jun Oda (Tsuri Jinsha, 1999) and "Edo Fishing Secret Techniques" (Somunsha, 2001) [5]. Since the original was passed down as a handwritten copy, modern translations are the entry point for reading.
The records in this book let us look at how fishing was done at the time.
Safety Note: When reading about how a former close aide to the Shogun wrote a fishing book after an injury, remember that actual fishing requires strict safety precautions and supervision.