I just wrote an article about a new Japanese mountain stream magazine I discovered called “River Walk”. The first issue of the magazine was published at the end of September last year (2016).
I wanted to continue the discussion here though about a specific article within the magazine. I found the information quite fascinating and thought some here might too.
The editor of River Walk magazine, Wakabayashi Teru, compiled a very in depth article about Iwana based on an interview of Mr. Kentaro Morita (森田健太郎さんと). Apparently Morita-san is very much into river snorkeling, so there are many excellent photos in the article as well.
There are four main species of Iwana in Japan (a fact that is fairly well known):
アメマス Amemasu
ニッコウイワナ Nikko Iwana (the majority of Iwana I catch are of this sub-species)
ヤマトイワナ Yamato Iwana
ゴギ Gogi
For those wanting to do more research check out: FRA News Vol 26 (Fisheries Research Agency) and the natural history of freshwater fish geography (Hokkaido University Press)
FRAニュースVOL.26（水産総合研究センター) および淡水魚類地理の自然史（北海道大学出版会)
& this interesting looking book
淡水魚類地理の自然史【多様性と分化をめくズ】渡辺勝敏・髙橋 洋編著
What I found very intriguing though was a sub-species of Iwana (aka Char) that is found in only one spot in the entire world.
Long Finger (bad translation maybe) Char (ロングフィンチャー) in Elgygytgyn Lake, Chukotka Autonomous Okrug, Russia
Check out this site which has some cool vintage photos and lots of info
Here’s a link to my article too River Walk Magazine
