Fish kanji demonstrate deep imagination. Below is a link to a Japan Times article explaining the etymology of a few. One (or two, actually) refer to the Pacific saury (sanma, 秋刀魚 - yes, they’ve managed to use 3 kanji to make a 2-syllable word. This is called gikun 義訓, a reading of kanji that has no correspondence to the characters’ individual on’yomi or kun’yomi). As you can see, it literally means “autumn sword fish” as it is caught in autumn, is shaped like a sword, and is a fish. The season’s first saury catch, which occurs as they migrate from their summer waters north of Hokkaido into waters off Tohoku, is called “shin sanma” and is written 鰶 (here, 3 syllables with 1 kanji!), literally meaning “festival fish”.
The Oe chapel of the Japan Lutheran Church will hold its annual sanma festival to benefit both Tohoku, which has graciously provided the sanma, and Kumamoto disaster victims, after services (noonish) this Sunday, 10/8 (take home or eat there; the chapel has a cafe cozily decorated with English antique furniture). The chapel is behind Kyushu Gakuin, everyone is extremely friendly, and all are welcome. - William