The Sigh of Eels

This is a video work created to save the freshwater eel from extinction.

 

In Japan, there is a food culture of eating freshwater eels. From around 300 years ago, there is a dish called “Unajyu”- a box of rice topped with soft and plump “Kabayaki”, a freshwater eel grilled fragrant and juicy with sweet-salty sauce. This dish is deliciously flavorful and is said to give energy to the body. Many Japanese tend to eat this dish on a specific day in the summer when they lose energy due to heat, or on special occasions.

It has been several years since freshwater eels were listed as endangered. This situation was caused by overfishing. There are many cases when living things become extinct due to natural forces beyond human control, but not in the case of freshwater eels. It is possible to protect the sustainability of our food culture and the lives of living things by proper legal development, using technology appropriately, and improving the environment, including the law.

Freshwater eels live in areas with high water quality and multiple aquatic organisms. Since Japan is a country prone to natural disasters, the environment for freshwater eels to migrate upstream and live in is being lost due to well weirs and other structures built to prevent river flooding.

Thinking about this freshwater eel issue will lead us to care about the issue from several points, such as

– Ecological issues
– River environment issues
– Water pollution issues
– Issues of food culture and sustainable use of biological resources
– Issues of law improvement against poaching and illicit trade

And make it possible for us to think about what we can do to help humanity coexist with living things, and how technology can help.

MOVIE:
Director,Editor : TAKIDO Dorita
Movie Supervisor : IWAGUCHI Tetsuya
Underwater scene Director Of Photography : IKEYA tomohide
2nd Camera : HOSHINO Kosaku
Technical Assistant : KAWASE Keiju(TAIL)
Still Photographer & Assistant : TANITSU Sho
Underwater Assistant: NAKAMURA Ayuko,HIGUCHI Ryohei
Lighting Assistant: OHYAGI Leo,UCHIDA Chitose,OTA Tsugumi
Underwater Model : IIJIMA Ayako
Production : IIJIMA sayaka
Drone : WATANABE Akio
Costume: HATRA

ROBOT:
Robot Design,Development : TAKIDO Dorita
Electronics Tutor：YOSHIDA Tomofumi（of Sheep inc.）
Robotics technical support： NIIYAMA Ryuma
Electronics Supervisor： SAITA Kazuki(Kinoshita laboratory)

Music : TOKUSASHI Kengo

Eel provided by : A Zero inc.
Eel ear stone picking support : Ashley Rinka Smith

Special Thanks : Shiryu Kirie

photo by IKEYA Tomohide, TANITSU Sho

project info:

https://culture-gate.jp/ja/exhibition/2022cruise/