also: うじょう
noun
cormorant fisherman
A traditional fisherman who uses trained cormorants to catch fish, especially ayu. Associated with the ukai (鵜飼い) tradition in Gifu and other regions.
長良川の鵜匠は、国の重要無形民俗文化財に指定されている。
The cormorant fishermen of the Nagara River are designated as an Important Intangible Folk Cultural Property of Japan.
鵜匠は夜、かがり火をたいて鵜を操る。
At night, the cormorant fisherman lights a bonfire and controls the cormorants.
鵜飼い refers to the practice or event of cormorant fishing itself, while 鵜匠 specifically denotes the master fisherman who performs it.
Compound of 鵜 (u, 'cormorant') and 匠 (shō, 'master' or 'artisan'). The reading うじょう is a variant, possibly reflecting an older or dialectal pronunciation.