Traditional Hunting Culture where Man and Falcon Collaborate

Japan is enjoying an unprecedented pet boom at present and many kinds of animals are being kept by people all over Japan. Mr. OZAKU Fumio, who lives in the town of Mizuho, Tokyo, keeps three falcons at his home. However, these birds are not merely pets. Ozaku is a falconer who manages these birds for hunting. In other words, falcons are his partners. A falconer quickly releases their falcon to catch a bird right after the prey takes off and its flying speed is still slow.

Falconry was practiced as a noble game by the aristocracy and shogun and the traditional culture of the sport has been carried through to the present. While enjoying falconry as a hobby, Ozaku acts as president of The Japan Falcon Association, a NPO, (30 members) which works to pass down falconer's skills and information about handling the birds, including manners. Falcons sell for about 350,000 yen and rare falcons can fetch more than a million yen. Quails costing some thousands of yen a month are mainly used as feed for the falcons.

In falconry, birds such as goshawks and peregrines are used and each has a different personality. "Even if the birds are the same breed, each has a different character. Experienced falconers can see the ability of each falcon at first glance," Ozaku says. Before training, falcons are made to lose extra fat to decrease weight. After that they are trained while strengthening their muscles. When a drill is completed, food is given as a reward. "Falcons know who their master is, just like dogs. They think they are a human."

The period allowed for hunting goes from November 15 until February 15. Therefore falcons are trained before the season starts. Training routines are carried out repeatedly, since falcons become lazy when they are tamed. "You should never do what falcons don't like. Don't hit them. Teach them that human beings are not fearful. Praise them as much as possible," says Mr. MURANO Sadao, vice president of the association and a skilled falconer who won two championships at the National Championship. President Ozaku, inspired by Murano, subsequently became a falconer.

It is not easy to catch game even when using trained falcons. Birds who are preyed on quickly try to escape for their lives. Pheasants will often take refuge in a bush where falcons are unable to get into and ducks stay in the water if they see a falcon. The latter is because falcons are unable to fly when their feathers become soaked. Interestingly, the more experienced falcons become, the more likely they are to have accidents. As they concentrate on their prey, they may sometimes crash into a bush or a car.

In order to become a falconer, besides training, you must be able to make feed bags with bamboo and falcon stand gloves using deer skin. Ozaku very skillfully creates these so they become just like craft works. The Association also offers a practice falconer examination. Applicants must have all the skills necessary to pass the examination. At present, only 6 people are qualified as falconers.

Falconry was born in Central Asia in between 2000 and 1000 BC and subsequently spread throughout Asia, western countries and the rest of the world. In Japan, there are 13 falcon lover clubs to network the national union. The International Association for Falconry actively promotes international exchanges. The fantastic pleasure obtained when catching game in union with a falcon could well be the greatest factor behind the continuation of the sport into the present. This is a noble yet deep hobby.

The Japan Falcon Association
URL: http://JFA.gr.jp

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