In Japan, fishermen would make Gyotaku to preserve records of their catches.  The oldest Gyotaku was found in Japan, dating back to 1862.  Lord Sakai of the Yamagata prefecture made a big catch in one night, and to preserve the memory, prints were made of large red sea bream.  While the Gyotaku was commissioned by Lord Sakai, the actual artist is unknown.

Traditionally, prints were made on rice paper using carbon-based sumi ink.  There are two different techniques for making Gyotaku: the indirect method and the direct method.  The indirect method involves placing the paper on top of a prepared fish, and then applying the ink to the paper using a small cloth blotter. This is done much like a gravestone rubbing.  The direct method is the more traditional Japanese method and involves putting the paint directly on the fish and then putting the paper directly on the paint.   If done correctly, the final result is an accurately sized, slightly abstract Gyotaku.  Jaxsfish uses both