Kosuge River, a major tributary of the Tama River, is a great fishing destination near Tokyo. This area was the first to successfully farm river trout in Japan. Surrounded by rich nature, you can enjoy the thrill of mountain stream fishing!

Kosuge Fishing Village 

小菅フィッシングビレッジ

Everyone from beginner to expert, children and adults, can find satisfaction fishing in this area surrounded by mountains.

Kosuge Fishing Village is a controlled section of Kosuge River divided by rock weirs and stocked with fish raised upriver. Bait, lure, fly, and tenkara (traditional Japanese fly fishing) for masu salmon, char, and rainbow trout. The field area is divided into three sections:

1. the upstream section is for bait fishing salmon and char
2. the middle section is for rainbow trout
3. the lower section is for lure, fly, and tenkara

Please see Field area map (Japanese Only)

Fish grown in a clean stream have good quality. Since they were raised in Kosuge River, the fish are healthy and taste great.

The fishing area has plenty of parking, bathrooms, covered barbecue areas, and facilities for cleaning fish. It is convenient to enjoy with ease because there is a wide area on both sides of the river where you can park your car close to the river and hang out with the whole family. During summer you can also play in the river in some sections.

Once you visit, you will want to visit again and again; it is such a fascinating fishing spot.

Fishing rod, bait, devices, firewood, charcoal, and iron cooking plates available for rent.

Catch and release is a big welcome.

Discount tickets also available for Kosuge-no-Yu (hot springs)

Adult: fishing fee + ¥500 = 3 hour hot spring ticket + bath towel set

Children: fishing fee + ¥300 = 3 hour hot spring ticket + towel

Fishing Village is open daily 7:00-17:00 from the beginning of March to the end of November.

←Please check in at Mizu-No-Yakata 水の館.

For more information:

http://www.vill.kosuge.yamanashi.jp/tourism/fishing/ (Japanese Only)

Address:

Kosuge Trout Garden

小菅トラウトガーデン           

This fishing pond is well-stocked with masu salmon, char, rainbow trout, brown trout, and kokanee.

The stocked fish are carefully selected by the farmers, so they proudly guarantee the strength of your pull. It’s a great place for beginners or more advanced fishers to perfect their technique.

You can spend your holiday in rich greenery along the valley!

There is a barbecue area where you can cook your catch, and a restaurant in the clubhouse. Unlike the other fishing areas, Trout Garden is open year round including holidays. Closed Thursdays (except public holidays).

Pricing:

Regulations:

• To be kind to the fish, please use single and barbless hooks.
• Catch and release is encouraged.
• Please take your trash.
• Do not use trailers, egg fly, worms, or droppers.

Website: http://kosuge-tg.com/ (Japanese Only)

Pamphlet (Japanese)

Located in Tamoto area, not far from the Fishing Village.

Trout Garden street sign:

Trout Garden also has a cafe serving lunch available to customers.

Menu

• Set tea or coffee + ¥300

Fishing Elsewhere + Season Tickets

Besides Fishing Village and Trout Garden, you can fish at other sections of Kosuge River with a fishing ticket. Tickets can be purchased at Mizu-No-Yakata 水の館 (Fishing Village), Kosuge’s ryokan and minshuku inns, and most shops.

Day ticket: ¥1,000 (women, jr. high students, and disabled people ¥500; elementary students and younger free)

Annual ticket: ¥5,000 (women and jr. high students ¥2,500)

Please see the Kosuge River fishing map (Japanese)

Open fishing areas shown in blue.

Prohibited fishing areas: the Tamagawa 玉川, Yamazawa 山沢川, and Miyagawa 宮川 tributary branches of the Kosuge River. (Shirasawa River 白沢川 is permitted, however.)

Catch & Release only area: the 2km purple C&R 区間 section from Horenbo Campground ほうれん坊  to Lake Okutama 奥多摩湖.

C&R regulation:

• No bait fishing.
• Simulated bait only
• Use only single and barbless hooks. Strictly observed.

Tail count restricted area: fishing upstream from the first dam above Hashitate community (the red section on the far left/west of the map) is limited to 5 tails a day.

Size restriction: Do not keep fish less than 15 centimeters from anywhere in the river.

More information:

http://kosugeriver.com/ (Japanese Only)

About Tenkara

Tenkara fishing テンカラ (meaning ‘from the sky’) is a traditional kind of mountain stream fishing that originated in Japan over 200 years ago. Historically it used simple bamboo rods, but nowadays most rods are made of retractable fiberglass. Modern tenkara is characterized by a long flexible lightweight rod, short thin line, and no reel.

It differs from western fly fishing in that the casts are shorter, and since the line is so short, there is little or no drag on the surface. The advantages of tenkara are its simple elegance, less tangling, intuitive use, precise manipulation,  and no need to mend the line.

You can try your hand at this unique style of fishing in Kosuge Village!

Yamame, symbol of Kosuge

Yamame (masu salmon) is a proud symbol of Kosuge Village.

This is Yamame-taro, Kosuge’s official character. (Carrying wasabi on his back.)

You can often see yamame leaping off light poles near the fishing areas.

Many municipalities in Japan have their own custom manhole cover. Kosuge’s features yamame in Kosuge River, with rhododendron flowers in the right corner and Mt. Daibosatsu in the background.

Finally, even if you don’t fish, you can still enjoy tasting this local specialty in the form of a salt-grilled yamame skewer from this stand at the Road Station

. . . or from Hinoki Restaurant in the hot spring or Hiroseya ryokan.

Fish 

ヤマメ　yamame – masu salmon

イワナ　iwana – whitespotted char

ニジマス　nijimasu – rainbow trout

Happy fishing!