Japan Children Scoop Up Ceramic Goldfish in Aichi Pref. Town

The Yomiuri Shimbun

13:21 JST, August 17, 2023

SETO, Aichi — An event for children to scoop up floating ceramic goldfish is underway at a municipal facility in Seto, Aichi Prefecture, a city known for its ceramics.

Such goldfish were first produced in the city during the Meiji era (1868-1912) and became popular as bath toys but gradually disappeared in the early Showa era (1926-89).

The Novelty Children’s Creative Center, a local government facility where visitors can try their hand at ceramics, decided to bring back the bath toy about 20 years ago. The facility has been holding goldfish scooping events every summer since then.

Children seemed excited to scoop up 5-centimeter-long, brightly colored goldfish.

“We want people to know the beauty of these floating ceramic goldfish, which are a specialty of Seto,” said Eiji Nakamura, the head of the facility.