.

jp

.

.

.

.

The Legato topwater lure has a steel ball that's stuck to a magnet in the middle of its body. When it is cast, the inertia of the steel ball overcomes the magnetic force causing the ball to separate from the magnet and slide to the tail of the lure to maximise casting distance. Since there is no magnet in the tail to keep the ball there, once the cast is done the ball rolls back to the magnet in the centre, restoring the balance of the lure so it can swim optimally. How brilliant is that?

.

.

This one, the Loaded, has a thicker body to displace more water and create a bigger wake behind it.

.

.

Rapido is a slimmer version of the Loaded for a faster, more classic action.

.

.

The Boar is lipped to introduce a diving motion to its wobbling action. It also has a rolling ball in its centre, which you can see in the transparent version.

.

.

And this gentleman is showing and discussing upcoming Maria lures, the prototypes of which are in the big display in front of him. They don't seem to stop, always innovating and releasing new stuff that I keep finding whenever I go shopping.

.

.

Another exciting first, since I had not heard of "Gouki" before. Let's explore their offerings....

.

.

They build highly ornate rods in Japan.

.

.

I mean really and truly ornate.

.

.

These things almost look like jewellery.

.

.

And they're actually priced like jewelry too. 423,500 yen is about US$2815.

.

Golden is not really my colour anyway, let's instead see how much they're asking for the purple'ish one....

.

.

Same price. I just now remembered that purple is not my colour either.

.

.

This rack looks more reasonably priced. I wonder....

.

.

Not really; base price 183,700 + colour option 90,200 yields a total of 273,900 yen (US$1820), or what's colloquially known as a "buttload on money".

.

.

I'm only joking of course. I am actually a believer in finely crafted items whose price reflect the quality and man hours put into them, and while I don't have the needed personal experience with these rods to tell whether or not they meet the criteria of "finely crafted" items, I can tell that Gouki certainly behaves like a manufacturer of such items, seeing how their order form lets buyers configure every inch of their rods.

.

.

You don't say! Are these rods actually made of real bamboo that's been treated and reinforced?   

.

.

I asked, and they told me it's not real bamboo, which still impressed me because they made them look realistic enough that I had to ask. This loveliness comes at a cost though, base price being 250,000 and a total of 350,000 with options, which becomes 385,000 yen (US$ 2560 ) with tax.

.

.

One last look, because I doubt I'll ever see anything like that again. Before I left the booth I noticed a group of Italian speakers engaging in what appeared to be serious conversations with the Gouki people, so cheer up Italian anglers because this might mean that these will be coming soon to you. Or maybe not, I don't know why I keep saying this unfounded nonsense.

.

.

XBraid is the brand name of the braided line made by YGK of Japan. The XBraid branding is relatively new, but YGK is an established powerhouse that's been making high grade lines for many decades. 

.

.

Shout is another established name whose solid rings and Kodako hooks are often cited among the best there is. "Shout" is the big game saltwater brand of the Japanese parent company Sasame, whose other brands include "Ryugi" for bass fishing and "Junglegym" for lighter shore work, the signs of which can be seen hanging in the above photo. They are mainly hook brands, but they offer lures, some rods, and other adjacent accessories as well.

.

.

A quick look; Shout brand jigs in here.

.

.

Sinkers and hooks by the Ryugi brand.

.

.

And the parent company's name, Sesame, appears on certain styles of hooks, lures, rods, swivels, among others.

.

.

Toray is another name that many are not familiar with, but it's actually one of the biggest manufacturers of fishing line in Japan, and it could be THE biggest depending on the critorian used. Outside of Japan the line is popular in certain parts of Europe, but not so much in the USA. Their lines are generally of the same quality as other premium brands, but at more affordable prices thanks to the company's size, the fact that its parent company produces the raw materials for the lines, as well as the brand's practice of making line in Japan but having it spooled and packed in China. No big deal with the Chinese packing, almost every Japanese line brand you can think of either once did this or still does it today.

.

.

Leaders, and 8 strand braids.

.

.

And their new heavy duty Nylon leader, made up to 250lbs test.

.

.

In Japan, Okuma has a partnership with rod makers Zenith, who market and distribute Okuma's products under the name "Zenith Okuma". This name appears only in advertisements but not on the tackle itself. The tackle bears normal Okuma markings.

.

.

A whole corner for the relatively new Tesoro, and a catalogue marked "Zenith Okuma" can be seen at the bottom right of the photo.

.

.

The little 5000 and 6000, but their younger sister the 4000 was not there.

.

.

Their spools, allowing people to see the drag system and design features up close.

.

.

Conventionals, including the Makaira lever drag, which back in 2010 took the fishing world by storm and put Okuma on the map as a serious big game brand. No disrespect for the Titus Gold, Okuma's earlier flagship reel, but the Makaira was on a whole different level. Enough about conventional reels though, back to my beloved spinners.

.

I won't go over reels that everyone is familiar with, and instead here are a couple of interesting ones that aren't well known in the West;

.

.

The 2024 Ceymar CB, whose handsome features and carbon highlights have been obscured by my terrible photography.

.

.

And the 2023 Aria B, pre-spooled with mono for your convenience.

.

Actually I might need to mention a few well known reels, because something unpleasant is happening. Check this video of one of the Azores blue reels on display;

.

.

This has been happening with several Okuma models for some time now, started as rare infrequent reports, but has lately become almost a universal issue. The most affected models are Azores Silver, Azores blue, Azores XP, 2020 Cedros, and I've received reports of this happening to additional models as well but I'm still trying to find out their extent and whether or not it's on the same scale and frequency. This issue forced me to remove the Azores blue from my Top Picks on probationary basis until this issue is solved, and I'd advise you to personally check for this back-play before buying any of the models mentioned here.

.

If Okuma reads this, here is what's happening; the anti-reverse clutches and the recesses they fit into are fine, and it's normal that these recesses are oversized. What's missing is a locking mechanism to stop the complete clutches from sliding backwards in those recesses, which can be achieved by simply placing a washer of thick fabric, felt for example, on top of the clutch before the second ball bearing is inserted and the retainer screws tightened. It has to be thick fabric in order to compress and fill the gap then apply continuous pressure on the outer cage of the clutch. Once everything is tightened, the rotor would require a single push backwards forcing the clutch to slide in the recess for one and only time then it locks against the wall and remains there under the tension applied by the fabric washer. It sounds complicated but it isn't. Show it to your production manager or anyone in the engineering team and they will know what it is.

.

If you ever fix it, please get in touch and let me know so I'd take the appropriate measures to verify and resume recommending the reels when they're the best fit for a reader's needs.

.

.

Smith was there. A Japanese rod brand who build most of their rods in China, and they have a reputation for offering quality above their price category. I personally think their blanks are top level, and the difference between them and rods costing more than twice is largely in the finish. In addition to rods, Smith also offers lures and some accessories.

.

.

Alphatackle is a part of a consortium of brands owned by a Japanese parent company named ATEC, who in addition to owning these brands has partnerships with other brands such as PureFishing, Maria, Fuji, and Studio Ocean Mark (SOM). Alphatackle exhibited some truly nice rods, whose high prices reflect their build quality and the fact that they have them manufactured in Japan, along with more reasonably priced standard rods that are made in China. Some of their top rods are built on a proprietary blank that they call "Magnum Power Glass" (MPG), which they claim has superior properties to carbon blanks. Their spinning reels though are not proprietary, rather they are picked from the offerings of Chinese OEMs and branded with their name.

.

.

Tailwalk is a sister brand to Alphatackle, also owned by ATEC. Their rods are moderately priced Chinese made ones, likely built in the same facility as their Alphatackle branded counterparts, with only a handful of exceptions such as the Japanese manufactured Tailwalk Jigforce MB.

.

Their spinning reels are also made by Chinese contractors. I'll have a quick look at the newest ones since they are more saltwater-oriented than their Alphatackle siblings, and they also appear on retail shelves outside of Japan more often....

.

.

The Durize, with a suggested retail price of 32,000 yen (US $215) for this 3500 size. They describe this model on the English version of the official website as follows;

.

.

That is 100% me back in school days, attempting to waffle my way through a book report that I should've read over the weekend but instead I went fishing or slept. Seriously, are you sure that "opportunities are evolving in today's dynamic fishing fields", and that "success in fishing comes from capitalizing on every opportunity"? If I go silent, please wish me well because I would've gone into the mountains to reflect on these profound words for the remainder of my life. I mean I couldn't even read them in one sitting because tears kept flooding my face and interrupting me.

.

.

That's a big girl.

.

.

She's the new Stealz sprinner.

.

.

Claims to output 20kg (44 lbs) of drag, and this 14000 size is officially priced at 26,000 yen (US $175). I wonder what sort of deep statements the website is making about this one....

.

.

"Developed with the theme of reeling in until the end"? As opposed to other reels that are developed with the theme of "quit halfway through the fight and watch the angler weep?". Who wrote these bollocks? Feels like they sought an English speaker to write the English version of the site but fell prey for a scammer who used a thesaurus to compose what he imagined were weighty sentences. Actually this is so ridiculous I think even the thesaurus used by the scammer was written by another scammer who presented himself to the publisher as an English professor when in reality he's a nose-hair trimmer at the local barbershop. Alright alright, my digression has gone totally out of hand. I'll take serious steps to get it under control. Pinky promise.

.

.

Tailwalk's lures are proprietary, and I've always had good results with their stick baits. These are some of their existing and new ones, along with a prototype that's been shaped but not yet received a finish.

.

.

Evergreen are almost always present in international events, so it's only normal to find them in their home country. Actually it's even their hometown since they are headquartered in Osaka. They used to offer two spinning reels, Opus-1 and Opus-1 Nero, whose unique design was Evergreen's but they weren't manufactured by them. Unfortunately these reels were discontinued about 6 years ago and there are currently no spinning reels in their lineup, so I skipped their booth.

.

.

An unusual display of lures by a Japanese company named Start.

.

.

That's clever. The products appear to be resting on the sea bed.

.

.

These jig heads are made of dense tungsten to give them extra heft relative to their size, which improves their resistance to currents and sends better feedback to the angler. They are used for the construction of the Japanese Tairaba jig, also known as Madai jig, a highly specialised lure that's particularly effective for sea bream. I told you, Japan is in a whole different universe when it comes to fishing.

.

.

Sunline, one of the juggernauts and bonafide leaders of the fishing line industry. If you're wondering why the photo seems to be taken by a complete idiot, it's simply because I am a complete idiot. I can't think of any other reason why I'd snap this photo vertically and completely out of focus. I could claim it was due to the dizzying hunger I was suffering then, but an honourable man acknowledges and embraces his idiocy.

.

.

A braid made to suit a particular style of fishing called Fukase, which I managed to live this long without coming across or even hearing about once. Apparently the fisherman throws chum in the water, and as the fish come up to eat it the fisherman uses a long flexible rod with a small reel to throw a piece of hooked bait into the chum area, using only the weight of that bait without a lead weight not to disturb the fish gathing to swallow the chum. There are many varieties of it, for example one involving a float to keep the bait from sinking out of the feeding zone, but that's the essence of it. Had a look at some videos and everything about this style is absolutely gorgeous and relaxing. More stuff to do if I ever surrender to that crazy sudden urge to move to Japan!

.

.

Back to familiar stuff, the "Deep One X8" to the left and the "Cast One X8" will be released this Spring as replacements for my cherished Siglon PE X8, where the "Deep One X8" will be the multi-colour jigging version replacing the multi-colour edition of Siglon PE X8, while the "Cast One X8" will be a green coloured casting line replacing the green version of Siglon PE X8. These new lines will remain in the same class as the discontinued Siglon, which is upper mid-range. I hate it when things I've gotten used to go away, but this separation makes sense and reduces the potential for mix ups. Sunline has been revamping their offerings lately, and I recently found out that they also discontinued Castaway Monster Battle, my most trusted high-end braid for the biggest and most consequential jobs. Need to find myself a new apex braid now.

.

.

Sunline built a shack for "international products", which looks suspiciously like an American frontier style home. Can't be, the Japanese are too nice for such a corny stereotype.

.

.

What on earth! A wheel on a barrel with an oil lamp and a cowboy hat? This is so offensive I'm officially demanding reparations from Sunline for the mental anguish this display caused me. You'll be hearing from my lawyer, or from me pretending to be my lawyer because the dude charges me an arm and a leg for the simplest tasks.

.

Just kidding, it's kinda funny. Let's see what they're exporting from this international corner....

.

.

Yep, that's the Super FC Sniper fluorocarbon found pretty much everywhere you go for tackle. Its popularity is deserved thanks to a long track record of reliability and consistent quality.

.

.

And these are the 8 strands Shooter Stuter braid and the Shooter Super fluorocarbon, both of which are valued by freshwater bass fishermen in the USA. Ahhh how much I missed being in good old America at that particular moment, a place where I can't walk a hundred metres without stumbling upon a steakhouse or a buffet serving huge chunks of savoury food.

.

.

Gamakatsu was, of course, present, and their exhibit was so big they could've declared independence from Japan and built their own flourishing country in it.

.

.

Okay, I'm exaggerating, but it was of such a size it needed its own map. Why would they need all that area show hooks, you say? 

.

.

Gamakatsu is actually more than just a hook manufacturer. They've been building rods for about 50 years, some of which are built in Japan to ultra-premium standards, while the rest is mostly made in their Chinese facilities, still to very high standards. 

.

.

Long rods for traditional Ayu and Keiryu fishing.

.

.

Close up on a couple, both from the "Long Range II" series.

.

.

Handmade in Japan.

.

.

Quality costs money, in this case 311,000 yen (US $2080) and 294,000 yen (US $1965).

.

.

The flagship "Excelsior" series.

.

.

Carefully hand fitted, and multiple layers of finish are then applied by hand.

.

.

They aren't overstating; these are indeed "Masterpieces", something that becomes abundantly clear once held and their lightness felt and their fit and finish examined up close.

.

.

The "Excelsior Elcrown" is 810,000 yen (US $5320), and the "Excelsior Eltiara" is 800,000 yen (US $5350). Of course I didn't miss the symbolism of "crown" and "tiara" in the names.

.

.

Each of these rods comes as a set comprising a main rod that's 9 metres and an extra rod base, and the owner can remove sections from the main rod and insert them into the extra base to create an 8 metres rod. The metal case has a genuine leather handle, and its exterior is artfully etchedwith decorative lines and the model's name "Excelsior" (not visible when opened). The two silver tubes are titanium weights that the owner inserts in the rod to change how it balances in his hand, the set contains 3 extra tips with different actions, and the case is delivered inside the fitted white cloth cover seen to the left of the case, which itself is embroidered with the brand's name. I lifted it for a closer look and its details literally took my breath away. Even the end cap inserted at the top to keep it closed is skilfully decorated. What an absolute stunner.

.

.

Moving away from this posh section and into the "Luxxe" area, which is Gamakatsu's trendy name for varied collections of rods, hooks, apparel, and other accessories.

.

.

The Luxxe stage, where again I tried my best to listen and get a vague idea about the subject, but nothing. Had I spoken the language I would've spent a few extra hours hearing the speakers and learning stuff.

.

.

Offshore casting rods, some are rated for heavy braid and weighty poppers.  

.

.

This Ocean Top Gear X 84H is not the heaviest duty one, yet it still packs some decent power.  

.

.

Max PE #6 and lures up to 110g. In experienced hands it can probably land any GT out there.

.

.

That's less than US $400. Not bad at all.

.

.

More offshore casters, with a 2019 Stella SW mounted on one to make their purpose quite clear. See the rack to the far right in the photo? Unfortunately none of the photos I took of it were of usable quality, but that rack had the multi-piece travel rods, known in Japan as "pack rods", including a prototype one that could be a dream coming true for me. If you've read this article you'd have heard that I find flying with rods too much of a hassle and have virtually given up on it, which explains why that prototype Luxxe rod could be a valued asset for me. A little over 9 feet, made for up to PE8, breaks into 6 pieces, and the closed sections have a length of less than 55 cm (21.7") which is the allowed length of carry-on bags on every carrier I've ever flown. This means the rod can fit comfortably into my cabin bag without needing a tube that has to be checked-in separately, sometimes causing arguments over whether it replaces a bag or goes in addition to the bag. I gave that prototype a quick bending test, and while I could feel the joints interfering with its bend and the spine was non-existent, this 6-piece rod still felt better than almost any 3-piece rod I've fished. They said it could be finished and released in 2026, and I'll surely be following intently.

.

.

Lovely cases, but not for me. I'm too cheap to spend what a decent case costs.

.

.

More upcoming products.

.

.

The S-SP trebles for 2026.

.

.

And for Spring 2025 the titanium split rings (top) and titanium snaps (bottom). I have no idea how they will perform in real life, but two things are certain; a titanium alloy will not rust, and those split rings are extremely tough to open and fight hard to close themselves when split. At first glance they seem larger than equally rated stainless steel ones, but that might be an acceptable trade off if they were to retain their powerful closure after repeated opening. Time will tell. Also, time to leave Gamakatsu's country and enter Japan again.

.

.

Rizas is another brand that's new to me. The rods felt decent enough and mostly had entry level pricing. Wanted to learn more about them, but knew language won't make it easy, so I thought I could email them later or something.

.

.

The good folks of Unitika were there. There hasn't been a day in the past 7 years when I didn't have at least two reels spooled with their very reasonably priced braid. Let's check some of their unusual products though, instead of looking at stuff I already have.

.

.

"Gunter" shock leader to the left, and to the right "Toughness Polyester" which is a new line whose core and exterior are made of different types of polymers in an attempt to get the best characteristic of each. I believe both Gunter and Toughness Polyesterare for trout and similar freshwater species.

.

.

"Long Drive", a new braid for Ajing, which is a relatively recent style of fishing targeting Japanese Horse Mackerel and other small pelagics that swim near the coast.

.

.

Not to be confused with the defunct Italian reel maker of the same name, Duel is the sister brand of Yo-Zuri, which needs no introduction. 

.

.

Duel is mostly known for lures, but for 2025 they are debuting the Monstergame 9 strands braid.

.

.

They have charts. I love charts. Unfortunately though they are in Japanese, so my best guess based on the images is that this braid converts sunlight into a killer laser of some sort. Or not, who knows.

.

.

It comes in various editions for different applications, but the essence of them all is the same; the brand states that it is an upgrade to the common 8 strands weave by inserting a 9th strand in the middle, supposedly making it rounder and preventing line flattening.

.

.

These two though are the actual stars of the lineup, whose performance is going to play the larger part in shaping fishermen's perception of the Monstergame braid; the blue spool is the multi-colour jigging line, while the pink spool has pink line for casting. 

.

I case you're wondering about this repeated theme, the working theory is that a jigging line benefits from multi-colour coding since it tells us how deep our jig is so we can stop it at the desired depth, while a casting line can be single-coloured because we won't be snapping the bail shut on a flying lure to drop it at a specific distance. Some people prefer the single colour of a casting line to be bright for high visibility against a backdrop of ocean water, which is a valid option, but personally not something I necessarily seek.

.

.

The colour intervals of the jigging braid are explained on the spool to familiarise the angler with them.

.

.

A quick look at Duel's lures from the "Hardcore" series, the ones in here are the "Sonicboom" poppers and stick baits.

.

.

And these are the "Hardcore" lures from the "Hardcore" series, for double the hardcoring, I guess.

.

.

The Chinese manufacturer Loongze is, interestingly, selling reels bearing their own brand instead of being an OEM for any other brand or retailer like a large percentage of Chinese manufacturers are.

.

.

That's the more familiar business model. "Best-In" is a Chinese maker of tools for fishing and other activities, mainly an OEM but additionally sells under its own "Atisen" brand. Whenever you see fishing accessories bearing brands that specialise in something else, these accessories are almost always made by OEMs such as this one. A rod maker or a braid company will not invest in their own heavy steel factories just to make pliers or hook-removers bearing their brand.

.

.

Vanfook might not be as well known as Owner or Gamakatsu in international markets, but it's a highly regarded hook manufacturer considered on par with the best hook brands.

.

.

Impressive display. My personal experience with them is limited, but every single package of Vanfook hooks I've seen said "Made in Japan". If they have overseas manufacturing plants then I'm yet to see their production.

.

.

A description of their trebles, with a recommendation at the bottom right corner to use Vanfook solid rings as well, which made me smile because they would of course recommend their own brand, and since everybody understands this, the recommendation carries absolutely no weight for anyone.

.

.

Amika is a very prolific line brand whose exact details have proven quite elusive for me. The company is said to be Taiwanese, and while I've seen some spools that said "Made in Taiwan", the majority of them had no mention of origin, which usually means China. I've also seen third parties advertising the line as "Made in the Netherlands", which is not true. Too much vagueness. Anyhow, I came across this brand frequently in South East Asia, but don't remember seeing it in European or US shops.

.

.

I've seen some Varivas leader lines with the titanium coating process, but this is the first time I've seen it on a braided line. Another bit that's new to me, the spool lists the number of weaves per inch, here stated as 36. Interesting.

.

.

PE #15 exists but it's not very common. Even standard PE conversion charts don't have #15 listed on them. Didn't I tell you these people are prolific?

.

.

There is nothing vague though about the origin of Suteki hooks. They make everything in a single Japanese factory, both under their brand as well as an OEM for other brands.

.

.

They chose to show lots of assist hooks, along with a few lures and bare hooks.

.

You might have noticed that I'm paying attention to unfamiliar brands instead of only focusing on the globally renowned ones, partially for the sake of freshness, of course, but equally important to showcase a rare phenomenon where companies are thriving on serving the Japanese market almost exclusively, thanks to that market's huge customer base that's able to sustain many such businesses. Japan is indeed a nation of fishermen, and fisherwomen, if that's a real word.

.

.

Galapagos, another Japanese lure brand.

.

.

They have a healthy focus on jigs, both shore and offshore styles.

.

.

These are freshwater bass lures, but I bet I can hook some fine marine shore species on some of them, particularly the white one with a grey back sixth from the bottom right side. Or maybe I can't. I donno. I just wanna bury my face in  a bucket of fried chicken, then I can think clearly about this proposition.

.

.

Another ally for deepwater anglers, Takamitechnos Custom Rod offerings lean heavily towards jigging, mostly being conventional rods but there were spinning models too. They make individually serialised unique pieces as well as more regular production rods, all of which are hand built in their Japanese facility. The seats are designed to have more contact with a reel's foot minimising gaps, and some of them have Takamitechnos' proprietary guides. Standing there and handling them, I became bothered by the thought that I might never be able to admire "normal" rods again after what I saw in this show. Even some custom ones that friends and other fishermen showed me in the past suddenly no longer felt that special. Anyhow....

.

It was around that time that I got approached by two ladies as I walked between booths, who spoke little English but enough to have a basic exchange. I immediately recognised the pattern of people chosen for the task of engaging strangers with higher chances of success, in this case well dressed younger females. They said they were from China and wanted to give me an invitation to China's fishing show, which is a trade event open only to industry professionals. Obviously they were on a mission to bring business to their country's tackle manufacturers, and I wondered why they picked me and whether it's because they considered all non-Japanese people to be potential business visitors or because they observed my interaction with tackle and decided I wasn't a mere hobbyist. I was tempted to accept the invitation since the event was just days away and the flight from Japan would be relatively short, but I had to thank them and decline because I had too many engagements back home, which is true. That was a new one though, never seen recruiters in any outdoors event. Let me know, by the way, if you'd want me to go to that event in the future and report on it. Could be arranged if enough of you show interest.

.

.

Amizesu had a small booth that hid a big secret; a boutique manufacturer of what might be some of the finest offshore rods I have seen anywhere at any point, in addition to a surprisingly comprehensive collection of hooks, swivels, and big game leaders.

.

.

Jigging rods are divided into three weight classes for 100kg (220lbs), 200kg (440lbs), and 300kg (660lbs) tuna, each class comes in conventional and spinning versions. The company puts great emphasis on the fact that every atom of the rods is built in Japan, from Japanese sourced raw materials as well. What truly sets them apart in my mind though is the unmistakable quality of the blanks and their finish, and they even wrap the guides in a way that allows the blank to behave and curve smoothly beneath them instead of being rigid spots. 

.

.

105,000 yen (US $700) without tax isn't bad for what they offer.

.

.

They also have GT rods, shore jigging and plugging rods, and popping rods for tuna rated from PE8 all the way to PE12, the heaviest being capable of casting 200g lures which is about 50 grams more than the heaviest popper or stick bait anyone realistically needs in my opinion.

.

.

Almost the same price for this 10 feet of awesomeness. Hopefully I'll one day get a chance to fish these then run a mental comparison to a superb Zenaq Tobizo that I once borrowed for a day and it stole my heart.

.

.

They too let you select custom colours for various components of the rods. I want my rods to be black or dark blue, but more power to you if you want yours to be pink with red threads and a gold seat. No judgement, I'll just tease you into oblivion.

.

.

Their hooks are geared towards big game fishing.

.

.

More styles.

.

.

All sorts of heavy duty leaders, professionally hooked and crimped and ready to go.

.

.

And if looking at those ball-bearing swivels with snaps, rated 135kg & 202kg, doesn't get you all pumped up to go fishing, you are dead inside. I better pull myself away from this booth because I could stand there staring at everything and lose track of time.

.

.

I haven't been to that hall yet. I'll have a quick look inside before I go back to Daiwa then wrap things up.

.

.

I'm as terrible a videographer as I am a photographer, but just wanted to give you a sense of the atmosphere and sounds.

.

.

That's a raffle, where for 500 yen (US $3.35) people get a paper bag and a ticket, then stand in a very long zigzagging queue to receive a present. Apparently everyone wins and no ticket is worthless, and my assumption is most people will receive something that's fun and cheap but a few will win the more valuable items shown on the sign. It looked like fun, but in my starving state I would likely leave that massive queue on a stretcher and straight into an ambulance.

.

.

Got around the line for a quick look. That's where everyone finally gets to receive what they won.

.

.

How absolutely sweet! Parents give their tiny boys and girls plastic fishing rods then let them "fish" small bags with gifts from the pool. A brilliant way to connect fishing to rewards and plant the love of the sport in their young minds.

.

.

Slightly older kids stood around a pool that contained water this time, and in that water tens of plastic fish were swimming, likely powered by batteries, and there were baskets hanging all around the pool which I guess were to collect whatever the kids catch. All instructions were in Japanese so I didn't know how this game worked, but they certainly seemed to be having lots of fun which is all I needed to know in order to walk away smiling.

.

.

Older ones, mostly young teens, were playing at another pool in which they caught real living fish on rods, with staff in yellow vests standing next to each to help and instruct since real hooks and living fish need special care in handling. Just like that, an entire nation is systemically raised to love fishing and respect the catch.

.

.

Seminars about different aspects of fishing, which, judging by charts, seemed to address currents, reading the water, lure presentation, etc.

.

.

More people eager to learn. Not sure whether those seminars were free or if that "500" on the sign to the left is the cost of attendance, but either way they're essentially free since 500 yen is US $3.35 at the time of writing. If America loves fishing, then Japan is absolutely crazy about it.

.

.

Sombre photographs of fish on a wall, and since I wouldn't know what's up with them I assumed that these were celebrity fish that recently died, and that people were paying respect. Yeah I know that there is no such thing, but unless you can come up with a better suggestion just let me be.

.

.

More family fun, people of all ages learning to paint fish for free, with instructors looking after them. The paintings are sold to visitors, but not for profit because the proceedings go back into financing these free classes. It's about everyone spending quality time and learning something new.

.

.

Lots of talent went into these.

.

.

The final product, framed and ready to adorn someone's wall.

.

.

The trade section, where big retailers rented spaces from which they sell to show visitors.

.

.

It was my first day in Japan and I had no idea what street prices were, but I got a sense that there were major discounts on offer here. In an event like this, a retailer would be wise to concede a bit on the price for the sake of a high volume of sales that balances things out.

.

.

Need braid? Lures? Bags? Tools? They've got it.

.

.

You know those high-end Japanese reels that never appear in your local shop unless they had ordered one for a customer? There were piles and piles of them, all discounted.

.

.

And security was everywhere keeping a keen eye, because while shoplifting is almost non-existent among the Japanese, an event like this attracts overseas visitors who sadly misbehave.

.

.

And as if everyone was out to torture me, they cut tuna and served it before my hungry eyes. Fortunately it was served raw, because otherwise I would have jumped over the counter and eaten everything until they physically restrain me. For a second there I wondered if I could jokingly ask that chap to throw a slice on the grill for me, but he looked kinda intense and had a big knife, and I didn't want to end up disembowelled for violating some obscure sushi code of conduct or something.

.

.

Mum and child making sure the heads are super fresh!

.

.

Cartoons and animations everywhere, because, well, it's Japan.

.

Headed back to Daiwa, which I now realise was the most crowded spot in the entire show in terms of tackle, and the second most crowded overall, only beaten by the popular girl in the green dress that I had seen earlier. It was still busy, but not as bad as it was in the morning. Took a deep breath and walked into it.

.

.

They had an enormous screen up, continuously playing Daiwa's promotional fishing videos.  

.

BLOG    REVIEWS    TOP REELS    CONTACT    HOME