How does a samurai kill a duck?

I’m sure you can visualize many possibilities in your head, but if you go to Hamarikyu Gardens in Tokyo you can get an idea of how the shôgun did it back in the day. The general process sounds like it belongs in an ethnic joke book:

  1. Build a pond and a creek.
  2. Raise ducks in the pond.
  3. Hide an iron door and a giant net in the bottom of the creek.
  4. Lure the domesticated ducks into the creek using the sound of wooden boards. (I don’t know why ducks like this sound, but maybe that’s why we eat them, and not the other way around.)
  5. Wait for wild ducks to follow the domestic ducks into the creek.
  6. Pull up the door, scaring the bejeezus out of the ducks.
  7. Pull up the net, catching the ducks.
  8. Laugh heartily and retreat for wild escapades with concubines.

If you don’t believe me, check out the posted explanation in Japanese and Engrish:

Bad-ass

This guy would not be amused.

5 thoughts on “How does a samurai kill a duck?”

  1. Imperial House Hold Agency still do this in 新浜鴨場Niihama-Duck Hunting Ground in Ichikawa,Chiba.Bringing member of imperial family and foreign diplomatic protocols in Tokyo.

    Hilarious thing is,it locates right next to Gyoutoku bird observatory!

    But then again,nowadays ducks shall be released as soon as being tagged in the leg for the fly-way survey by the researchers of Yamashina Ornithological Institute.(Founded by Marquis Yamashina,brother of Hirohito and Princess Norinomiya used to work there).
    http://images.google.co.jp/imgres?imgurl=http://www.kunaicho.go.jp/images/06/06ph-01.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.kunaicho.go.jp/05/d05-08-01.html&h=169&w=240&sz=21&hl=ja&start=23&um=1&tbnid=UQy4J8QPlmi6TM:&tbnh=77&tbnw=110&prev=/images%3Fq%3D%25E6%2596%25B0%25E6%25B5%259C%25E9%25B4%25A8%25E5%25A0%25B4%26start%3D18%26ndsp%3D18%26um%3D1%26hl%3Dja%26lr%3D%26rlz%3D1T4GGLR_jaJP255JP256%26sa%3DN

  2. This post made me laugh out loud and embarrass myself at work, thank you.

    I can’t believe I missed the signpost when I visited there.

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