A ''tarai-bune'' ( ja, たらい舟), or tub-turned boat, is a traditional Japanese fishing boat found mainly on
Sado Island
is a city located on in Niigata Prefecture, Japan. Since 2004, the city has comprised the entire island, although not all of its total area is urbanized. Sado is the sixth largest island of Japan in area following the four main islands and Ok ...
and used for catching
abalone and other
mollusks. The design originated from need to fish in the narrow coves formed by earthquakes.
In popular culture
Tarai Bune boats have appeared in:
*''
Spirited Away
is a 2001 Japanese animated fantasy film written and directed by Hayao Miyazaki, animated by Studio Ghibli for Tokuma Shoten, Nippon Television Network, Dentsu, Buena Vista Home Entertainment, Tohokushinsha Film, and Mitsubishi and distrib ...
'', animated movie
*''
Skies of Arcadia
''Skies of Arcadia'' is a 2000 role-playing video game developed by Overworks and published by Sega. Players control Vyse, a young air pirate, and his friends as they attempt to stop the fictional Valuan Empire from reviving ancient weapons with t ...
'', video game by Sega
*''
Tales of Symphonia'', video game by Bandai Namco
*''Tides'', video game by Shallot Games
External links
{{Commons category
Tarai Bune of Sado IslandArticle about saving the tub-turned boat by teaching children how to use them
Indigenous boats
Fishing in Japan