One activity that you can’t miss out on experiencing at least once in a Japanese festival is the Kingyosukui.
Kingyosukui (goldfish scooping), is a popular festival activity during summer festival days in Japan, and has been a traditional childhood game since the 17th century. Although it was originally played with nets, these have been replaced with paper scoops, which, when wet, makes it all the more challenging!
Goldfish scooping involves several goldfish in a tank and you have to use a wire loop with very thin rice paper stretched across it to catch them out of the tank. You hold a bowl in one hand and you try to scoop up the goldfish into the bowl using the paper net. If you catch them, you either get to keep them or exchange them for a prize.
The problem is that if you don't use just the right touch, the paper will break and the goldfish will fall back through the net and land back in the tank. It’s mostly a test of patience and dexterity. As soon as the rice paper gets wet, it rips easily. If you scoop up a flopping goldfish, it will tear straight through the paper.
This booth is enjoyed by the young, and the not-so-young alike.