Hand grabbing fish

I don’t know the title English is correct or not. We had a traditional kindergarten event called “Ayu hand grabbing” recently. Normally, it takes place in the Shimanto River, but due to heavy rains and rising water levels, they held it at the pool where they had the end-of-summer pool party.

There were so many lively ayu fish swimming around! I used to think Fionn might not enjoy this kind of activity, but lately, he’s been really eager to try new things.

Take a look at that determined face!  While he struggled a bit at first, once he got the hang of it, he managed to catch four fish in a row!

However, I got scolded because I was taking photos and videos while receiving the fish, and I accidentally dropped one… So, when asked how many he caught, he says “three!” but the teacher replaced the one I dropped, so the total was four! We decided to give one of them to Yukichan.

Yesterday, there was a schedule clash with our English classes – Emma and I swapped roles – so we couldn’t have our meal together as a family. But we planned to enjoy the ayu fish today. Of course, the simplest and most delicious way is to grill them with a bit of salt. We rarely use the grill at home because I can’t stand leaving it unwashed, but it was time to dust it off.

It turned out nicely and simply delicious!

Both Emma and Fionn don’t usually eat much fish at home, but they loved today’s ayu fish!

It was a surprise to see Fionn enjoy fish so much! He used to be adamant about not liking it and refused to eat it. Maybe because they serve it in school lunches, he had no choice and eventually got used to it, realizing how delicious it can be. I’m thrilled about this change!

Back when he was smaller, I was concerned about the tiny bones, but now that he’s grown up a bit, I’m planning to include more fish in our meals. Fionn even made his own “fish rice” by mixing the fish with rice and eating it together, just like I used to do when I was little.

It’s such a tasty combination. These kinds of food experiences in kindergarten are really valuable! Catching your own fish, preparing it, and enjoying it at the table – it’s a fantastic learning opportunity.

Plus, it’s a relief that he’s eating fish he didn’t touch at all when he was five! This expands our menu options at home!