餌響師
- Listening to the sounds of life echoing in the water
There is no single correct answer when it comes to feed composition or water flow.
Listen carefully to the silent voice of the eel,
Feel the vibrations of the day.
This is eel farming by Kotone, the bait farmer.
餌響師 E Kyou Shi 琴音 Kotone
Ekyōshi — The One Who Conducts the Harmony of Feed
“Ekyōshi” is a title formed from three Japanese characters:
E (feed), Kyou (resonance), and Shi (master).
It means “the master who orchestrates the resonance of feed.”For many years, Japan’s eel farming industry has been a world supported largely by men.
The flow of water into the ponds, seasonal changes in water temperature, and the delicate balance of feed that eels require — maintaining harmony among these elements is no easy task.
It is a craft where experience and intuition matter as much as technique.
Into this world stepped a young woman.
Her name is Kotone.
Her title is Ekyoushi.
She does not simply feed the eels.
Like a musician performing a piece, she brings harmony to feed, water, and life itself.Each morning, Kotone carefully observes the way the eels swim and the subtle movements on the surface of the water.
“A lighter feed today.”
“More nourishment now, to build richness for the season ahead.”Her decisions come from a sensory world not found in textbooks.
Rather than bold, forceful methods, she relies on delicate observation and a gentle sensitivity uniquely her own, facing each life with care and respect.The eels raised under her guidance develop supple flesh, rich yet refined fat, and a clear, pure flavor.
It is as if the sound of a koto softly resonates through the water—
gentle, yet powerful.The eels nurtured by Ekyoushi Kotone are not merely ingredients.
They are a story— a story born from one woman’s harmony with life itself.