By Abdullahi Lukman
The Environment Agency – Abu Dhabi (EAD) has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Suwa Falconry Preservation Society (SFPS) to preserve Japan’s centuries-old falconry tradition and deepen cultural and conservation cooperation between Abu Dhabi and Japan.
The agreement, signed on the sidelines of the 23rd Abu Dhabi International Hunting and Equestrian Exhibition (ADIHEX 2026), will support the preservation of Suwa-ryū falconry, one of Japan’s oldest documented falconry traditions.
Under the partnership, EAD will support essential repairs and infrastructure improvements at the SFPS training centre, a facility that has been in operation for about 150 years and trains around 25 students each month.
The support follows a joint assessment conducted in January 2026.
The agreement will also establish an annual cultural exchange programme through which young Emirati falconers will travel to Japan to learn traditional Japanese falconry techniques. Joint workshops, student programmes and research cooperation are also planned.
Suwa-ryū has been preserved through generations of master falconers and is currently led by Noriko Otsuka, the tradition’s 18th-generation grandmaster.
The society maintains an apprenticeship system that is open to practitioners from different backgrounds.
EAD Secretary General Dr Shaikha Salem Al Dhaheri said the partnership would help preserve knowledge and practices associated with falconry while strengthening cooperation in raptor conservation.
Otsuka said the agreement would help safeguard the tradition, its knowledge and its birds while creating a lasting exchange between the falconry cultures of Abu Dhabi and Japan.
Falconry has long been an important part of Emirati heritage. In the Arabian Peninsula, the practice developed partly as a means of survival before evolving into a cultural tradition centred on the relationship between falconers and birds of prey.
The UAE has also played a significant role in promoting the international recognition and conservation of falconry.
The tradition was added to UNESCO’s Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity, while Abu Dhabi has developed programmes focused on raptor research, conservation and the sustainable release of falcons.
The emirate has supported initiatives including the Sheikh Zayed Falcon Release Programme, which has released more than 2,400 falcons across Central Asia, as well as research into the recovery of threatened raptor populations.
The new agreement builds on existing cooperation between Abu Dhabi and Japan, including partnerships involving the Emirates Falconers’ Club, INPEX JODCO and EAD.
These initiatives have included raptor conservation programmes, falcon exchanges and documentary projects.
The partnership is expected to further connect Abu Dhabi’s experience in scientific raptor conservation with Japan’s long-established falconry heritage, while supporting efforts to preserve Suwa-ryū for future generations.
