The Ugui Fishpond

The spring-fed pond at Yokoyama Fudoson is home to the ugui, the big-scaled redfin fish also known as the Japanese dace. The fish is regarded as sacred and believed to be a messenger of the Buddhist deity Fudo Myo-o. The pond measures approximately 30 meters by 15 meters and was constructed some 400 years ago.

The water temperature remains stable year-round, creating an environment that supports a healthy population of fish that have been cared for by worshippers over many generations. In 1935, the pond and its surrounding waterways, namely, the Kubo, Naka, and Tera Rivers, were designated a National Natural Monument.

During the spawning season, the male dace develops a reddish belly, which has earned it the local nickname akahara, or “red belly.” At that time, many migrate to the nearby rivers to spawn, while smaller fish may continue to move between the pond and the streams.

As the dace are protected, visitors are asked not to feed them without permission.