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The new "Saltiga Durasensor 12EX + Si3", a 12 strands braid finished with a silicone coating. Not the first 12 strands braid out there, but Daiwa set up the braiding spooler for a wider range of interaction between individual strands, creating a tighter pattern with smaller cavities in the core (red inset). Daiwa made a video of the actual machine weaving this line, and indeed it does exactly that. 

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The silicone coating is in my opinion the best type of braid finish available today. Braid finish is often overlooked and not given the same attention as the number of strands or polymer type, but it is every bit as important and in many cases finish is what one pays the extra money for when they buy an expensive braid instead of a cheaper one. A cheap and a premium braid might perform exactly the same initially, but over time the cheap one would lose its finish and the line would absorb saltwater and fray, particularly if it rubs hard against the rod guides during fights with fish, and soon it would become unreliable. Meanwhile the premium braid with the tougher finish would maintain its performance for longer even after heavy contact with the guides, and in addition to reliability it continues to fly smoothly for better casting or smoother drops. Next time you buy a new line don't just count the strands, but also check what sort of finish it has then weigh whether or not it would be wiser to invest more initially to save money over time when it lasts considerably longer than a cheaper braid.

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Still in the photo above, the box has a flexed biceps (green inset) representing what Daiwa calls "muscle PE". That's kinda amusing since earlier on I highlighted Owner's use of a similar muscular arm to represent their "Taff Wire". Great minds think alike? Anyhow, nothing is ever final until a product is exhaustively tested, but this one seems promising and I saw no claims that appeared fictitious or exaggerated. Top finish for extended service, a filled core for a uniform cross section that resists flattening on the spool and reduces coil cohesion, in addition to a high number of strands that should make it rounder for a higher resistance to abrasive contact.

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Seeing this, as well as Shimano's new Ocea braid earlier, raises a funny question in my head; could we now be at a pivotal stage in which the vast resources Shimano and Daiwa can pour into R&D and manufacturing is pushing them ahead of the leading specialised line brands? Only time will tell, but I won't be particularly shocked if in a year or two my "apex" line came from Shimano or Daiwa instead of the likes of Varivas or Sunline.

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Daiwa set up a device that tested different braids head to head for abrasion resistance, and we watched the new 12 strand line constantly last a little longer after the other line had broken. They sure know how to put up a good show.

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Another live trial, this time of a care product that deposits a layer of silicon on fishing line to give it a smoother and more durable surface. Here they let lures slide on two lines, one treated with the product and the other without it, and the lure slid faster on the treated line. That might be useful for certain fishing styles, but it would be logistically and financially impossible for me to treat 150 metres of braid after I had spent a week roughing them up in deep saltwater.

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New poppers and stick baits; the "Saltiga Frother", the "Saltiga Rough Ride", and the "Saltiga Cuddler", the name "Saltiga" signifies that they are Daiwa's top of the line lures.

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The Saltiga Frother is a completely new popper, which Daiwa says was designed using advanced computer analysis to produce the big splashing one expects from a flat faced popper but with ease of pulling that's closer to a stick bait, in addition to aerodynamism for longer casts. I picked a semi-transparent one for this photo to show you the "flashing" plate which creates a similar effect to what I described earlier in a Shimano lure. That's the sort of innovation one sees in a show held in the stronghold of the fishing industry; lures that flash, lures with magnet controlled balls, ones with interchangeable spinning fins, and I wouldn't have been shocked to see a lure that goes fishing on its own if you wanted to sleep in!

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The Saltiga Cuddler stick bait is not a new series, but for 2025 they released it in two additional sizes; the small 160mm/50 grams, and the big 200mm/90 grams, both join the existing medium Cuddler 185mm/77 grams. The new 200 is the one seen here. 

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New colour scheme.

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This colour is not new, but I had only seen it in pictures so far because it's the most coveted colour scheme and every time I ordered Cuddlers I found it out-of-stock.

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Just as Shimano released a new offshore casting rod to accompany the 2025 Stella SW, Daiwa debuted the Saltiga C Dogfight offshore casting rod to match the 2025 Saltiga reel. I gave this 8'1" PE8 the bend test, and I must say that it packs immense power for its weight as well as a beautifully defined spine that communicated to me the exact moment of maximum bend and the extent to which I could keep loading afterwards. Priced from 91,000 yen (US $605) for the PE6 rods to 95,000 yen (US $630) for the unleashed PE12 ones, they aren't really that expensive, and that's even before lower street prices kick in.

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Heading to the reels, the new ones still had a bit of crowd on them so I decided to look at some existing models first before jumping into the tussle.

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The 2023 Tatula FC LT QD (Quick Drag), the one in my hand being the 2500 H (High gear ratio) model. A significantly altered version of this reel for some export markets is named simply "Tatula MQ LT". I fished that export version in 2024, mostly in coastal waters despite it being a freshwater-oriented reel, and it performed flawlessly and won me over. In addition to its quality build and precise casting, it has no mag-seals, which is a major advantage in my book. Mag-seals require special precautions during maintenance because contact with lubes or solvents would ruin them, they must be serviced by an official Daiwa centre because the original magnetic fluid is not available for sale, and Daiwa puts these mag-seals in reels that aren't even fully sealed so it's just a headache for no real purpose. I'm still of the opinion that mag-seals are acceptable only in fully sealed high-end reels, because in these reels they constitute a proper link in the chain of full-sealing, and a high-end reel worth a thousand dollars should indeed be sent to Daiwa for service and not given to a random dude in the local Bait & Tackle shop.

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The 2024 Revros LT is one of Daiwa's most basic reels, and I place it right on the southern border of the "entry level" realm right before crossing into the "bottom-end" arena. It's built in Vietnam where, with some exceptions, Daiwa builds its lowest priced spinning reels. The series spreads from the tiny 1000 size to the medium 6000, with a median official price of ~11,300 yen (US $75) and a street price in the $60s. It's definitely built cheaply but not a junk reel, and I view it as a decent tool for someone casually fishing piers and beaches a few times a year, or a present for a young person still exploring the hobby.

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The Japanese made 2024 Certate FC LT. The Certate line used to be Daiwa's second tier freshwater reel right beneath the flagship Exist, but since 2021 it has been pushed further down by the new Airity series, which was initially named "Luvias Airity" for the 2021 generation but the "Luvias" was dropped from the name of the subsequent generation therefore now the second tier slot is occupied by the 2023 Airity and Airity ST.

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Here it is, the Japanese built 2023 Airity, which, in addition to being an extraordinarily beautiful reel, is significantly lighter than its Certate counterparts due to the use of magnesium to construct the body instead of aluminium as in the Certate. Magnesium is tough and lightweight which makes it an ideal choice for freshwater reels, but it corrodes easily if exposed to saltwater, therefore I would not recommend using a magnesium reel in saltwater since a tiny scratch in the protective finish would clear the way for saltwater to reach and consume the magnesium alloy.

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And since we mentioned her, it would be rude not to say hi to the flagship freshwater reel itself, the 2022 Exist. I never let an encounter with this reel go by without giving the handle a few spins to feel the maximum refinement Daiwa could deploy into a reel in this category.

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Moving on to existing saltwater models, the 2023 Saltiga, which I call the "inshore" model to prevent any mix-up with the separate offshore Saltiga series. This was the first "Saltiga" spinning reel to qualify for Daiwa's new flagship service program, joining its little sister the 2022 Exist in it. That is a special after sales care program in Japan for owners of certain high-end reels, giving them access to free/discounted priority service by Daiwa's top workmen, a guaranteed availability of spare parts for 6 years after end of production, as well as other perks specific to each model. Apparently that program proved popular because Shimano has just announced a similar one, with the 2025 Stella SW being its first participant.

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The 2023 BG SW is another one of the endless spawns of the 2016 BG, a subject that you can read more about in this article which I'm going to update with the latest spawns including this one at a future point. This 2023 BG SW has a "budget" imitation of the spool lip of the 2020 Saltiga, something that of course none of the pre-2020 spawns have, and for some reason I find this both ludicrous and cute at the same time. Like a toddler sitting behind the wheel pretending to drive like his dad does, except he's not really going anywhere.

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The 2022 Caldia SW is also a spawn, but a spawn of the BG MQ this time, with a discrepancy in model numbers where in the Caldia SW series the 5000 is in the same size class as the 4000, while in the BG MQ series the 5000 shares a size class with the 6000. Apparently any reel with "BG" in its name feels called to reproduce and spread its genes. Anyhow, those spool cuts are among my favourites. Very fresh and creative.

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The 2021 Certate SW is the second tier saltwater series right below the 2020 offshore Saltiga, now available only in sizes 8000 and up. Originally the 2021 Certate SW came also in sizes 5000 and 6000, but these small reels were discontinued a year after the debut of the 2023 inshore Saltiga to be replaced with the 2024 Certate SW 4000/5000/6000, which were built on the foundation of the 2023 inshore Saltiga 4000/5000/6000 and took the position of second tier reels to those small Saltigas. The one in my hand is the 2021 Certate SW 18000, which is the biggest one since they make them in 8000, 10000, 14000, and 18000 sizes only.

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Finally approaching Daiwa's new reels....

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The 2024 Luvias LT, released together with the Luvias PC LT, to be joined by the Luvias SF in March 2025. Do not confuse these with the Luvias ST version of this new model. The Luvias LT in my hand is a 2500 size, which is so tiny the height of its gearbox is smaller than the distance from the tip of my thumb to the first knuckle. A shoplifter could probably hide the whole reel in his mouth and walk away with it, only the bail wire would be showing which he could pretend is his dental braces.

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The new 2025 Caldia, which expands the offering with a 5000 size that wasn't available in the previous 2021 generation, and it's a genuine 5000 whose spool holds more line than both the current and previous 4000 models, not just a play with model numbers. This new size has been added due to demand by anglers, and Daiwa listens, so Daiwa gets a big kiss from me. Of course Daiwa is a girl. Why? Because I say so. Quit pestering me..

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A display case shows the main changes from the 2021 to the 2025 generation of this very popular reel; frame went from standard to the round style they call "Monocoque", the drive gear was enlarged and strengthened taking advantage of extra space in the new frame, and the rotor has been updated to Daiwa's latest spherical design.

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The 2025 Saltiga offshore reel, the flagship of not just a category of reels but rather of the entire Daiwa brand. This is evident by the fact that the name originated in this offshore spinning series back in 2001 but now they call every other top product "Saltiga", be it a lure, a rod, or a lever drag conventional reel. The one in my hand is the 14000-P (power gear), which has the drag system of the previous 2020 model, powered by carbon fibre brake washers impregnated with Daiwa's specially formulated grease. Sizes 8000, 10000, and 14000 of this new 2025 Saltiga come with this drag.

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And this is the 20000-H (high gear), which used to be the biggest Saltiga, and it uses the new DRD drag, which stands for "Dura Roller Drag" and not "Daiwa Roller Drag" as some speculations have suggested. Here is this drag;

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Seen at the bottom, the DRD is composed exclusively of metal plates without any fabric components, and it comes in 2025 Saltigas sizes 18000 and up. At the top is the drag unit of all sizes of the 2020 Saltiga, now limited to sizes 8000 to 14000 of the new generation.

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A closer look at one of the roller-carrier plates at the heart of this new drag system. As I mentioned in a previous article, the principle of braking via rolling elements has been used by Ken Matsuura in his conventional reels named "Tuna & Marlin", the most expensive reels ever made starting at US $6000, but the way Daiwa utilises the principle in the Saltiga is quite different with enough originality in it I almost feel tempted to call it "proprietary", but I won't for the sake of preserving my obsessive standards of words' precision. I will expand on this drag design in future articles.

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I said that the 20000 "used to be" the biggest Saltiga, because now there is this....

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The new 25000, whose stated line capacity led me to believe that it's a colossal reel, but here it was resting on my fingers looking normal and actually making my hand seem bigger than it is. In fact the whole series appeared deceptively large in pictures; so much so that I jokingly likened them to a minivan in a car analogy in an earlier article. Seeing them in flesh though made me realise that their new dimensions make them feel substantial but not oversized by any stretch of imagination.

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Now that's oversized; the drive gear of the 2025 Saltiga on top of the one from the previous 2020 edition. The new gear is wider, thicker, with teeth of equal size but shorter length than the previous teeth. This is another worldwide exclusive that has never been told anywhere in any language, and while this reduction in teeth length is almost invisible in photos I instantly spotted it once I held the gears in my hands. I will tell you exactly what it means and why when it's time for the review.

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By the way, I keep telling you that certain things will be discussed in future articles not because I want to create anticipation or any such immature rubbish. Rather it's because if I start saying that these different features achieve certain goals, I'd be reciting the manufacturers' aspiration for unreleased and untested products, which is not what I do. Instead I will, as usual, fish retail purchased reels exhaustively, then I'd be able to state what each feature achieves or fails to achieve based on real life performance, not a bunch of theoretical mechanics.

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The bare frames of both the 2020 Saltiga (right), and the 2025 generation (in my hand) showing the expanded gear housing.

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The frame appears less wide than it actually is, thanks to that width being concealed by a fresh body sculpting integrating the frame details into a streamlined shape. Check this comparison image for a better sense of this;

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My left hand beneath both the 2020 reel (left) and the 2025 model (right), photos scaled to match as evident by the identical size of my pinky finger in both. As you can see, the shape of the new frame could even create the illusion that it's considerably thinner than the 2020 model, which is not true. How good is that? I'll explain in a minute why Daiwa had a working 2020 Saltiga next to the 2025 model at the show.

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Various components of the 2025 Saltiga, beneath their counterparts in the 2020 model. Speaking to them I learned that several radical changes were made, some of which even break away from principles that remained unchanged for 24 years since the Saltiga Z, and these weren't included in the promotional material. Probably they thought that such details were too intricate for public consumption by common standards of advertising. At any rate, more stuff to delve into once the ocean had put the aspirations to test.      

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Painted frame with a partially assembled gearbox.

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All these details came together to give visitors a good thrill when turning the handles of these reels, because they felt abnormally easy to spin. I mean the feel was so abnormal my suspicious nature made me remove the spool to check whether the shaft seal was in place or it had been removed to create a false sensation of lightness, and the seal was present. That light operation wasn't produced by the simple lengthening of the handle or any design feature I had seen so far, and I was left out of ideas and currently I have no theories about the cause. Hopefully after testing the reels I'll have a definitive explanation, but if not I will tell you so. I said "I don't know" in a handful of reviews before, nothing to be ashamed of.

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This is where I got the frame width comparison photos earlier; Daiwa had this 2020 vs 2025 setup, where both reels were attached to short rods, and each worked against heavy resistance produced by a weight attached to a cord linking it to a sleeve on the spool. Daiwa even put swivels in the cords to prevent them from twisting into breakage, which made me smile because of how meticulously Japanese this was. Attention to detail is a part of that country's culture, but more on this later.

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Each reel had handles attached left and right to accommodate the demonically possessed population known as "lefties", and they invited us to operate both reels and feel the difference in power. I did that a few times back and forth, and the 2025 reel had a perceived advantage that I would estimate at about 20%. Still being suspicious, I ignored the printed model numbers and counted the rotor spins myself, just in case the new model had a lower gear ratio to give it an unfair advantage, but both the 2020 and 2025 reels did 6 rotor spins, indicating they were both 14000XH.

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Once I was done with the comparison and moved away to let others have a go, I suddenly felt curious about something and decided to stand in the line again to handle the reels. Actually it was one reel that I wanted to handle this time, and when it was my turn again I went to the 2020 model and firmly grabbed its handle's stem and started checking the minute play between the drive gear and the pinion. This reel has been forcefully rotated against heavy resistance by thousands of people all day, and before that thousands more did it for the duration of the Yokohama show, yet the gears remained tight and I did not feel any excess play due to wear. That made me happy, because in 2020 I spent around 6 months testing those reels then made the assessment that this new generation drive gear was going to be more durable than the one preceding it, and 5 years later I felt pretty good about that assessment as I stood at the show handling a 2020 Saltiga for what might have been the last time. I truly loved this reel, not only for its merits but also for what we've gone through together in a chaotic world ravaged by a pandemic that frustrated my plans every step of the way. Of the ones I personally owned, the reel I tested was sold to Argentina and the backup that remained unused was sold to Kuwait, and I hope their owners are getting as much joy from them as I did.

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Back to the 2025 Saltiga

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They had a cut-out reel showing the assembled drive train, and more importantly to me, the DRD drag components in place.

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Before the trip I had heard about the light rotation, but nothing about how the new drag felt, so it was the thing I'm most curious about and excited to experience. When a reel becomes lighter it feels different, but the feeling is not unique because my mind already knows how a light reel feels. Similarly, when a reel becomes more powerful it feels differently, but I already know what power feels like. In this instance though I was about to experience something completely unique, because the traditional drag system is gone and replaced with a metal roller one for which there is no past reference in my head; I grabbed an 18000, tightened the knob, then rotated the spool and allowed a stream of new data to rush into my brain....

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Well, it borders on the impossible to convey a "feel" using words, but here is my best attempt anyway; instead of a resistance stemming from a rubbing sensation, the resistance of this DRD drag feels like working against weight for the most part with only a slight rubbing sensation. It is a most extraordinary and unconventional feel, and I very much look forward to experiencing how it manifests in actual fishing action. I then grabbed a 20000, same drag feel, but I continued to increase the drag in order to satisfy my final point of curiosity which is maximum drag output. Of course an actual drag number can't be accurately assessed without the reel being on a rod with line on the spool to correctly measure it, but with practice I can guess an approximation of the number by rotating the spool by hand then comparing it in my head to reels whose drag outputs are known to me. We're talking loose estimates here, so nothing of what I'm about to say should be taken as definitive figures. Alright?

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The DRD on the big Saltiga produced what I estimate would translate to slightly over 50 kilograms (110 lbs) of drag, and I didn't even get the classic warning signs that I should stop tightening the knob. Meaning I could've tightened it more, but it seemed pointless. If you're thinking that I must be wrong because I can't possibly turn the spool against such high pressure, please check my workout videos in this Christmas message, which I included in order for you to properly assess situations where I speak about physical limitations in fishing. Anyway, please keep in mind that these are prototype reels that are clearly marked as such....

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Here is the marking. Japanese shows are the actual debut of these reels before they enter production, unlike shows held overseas well into the reels' production life and often featuring production reels. Therefore the drag I experienced on these prototypes might get tuned down for production. Actually as I'm typing this in the last week of March the first production Saltigas are being assembled, and the big ones have already been changed enough to warrant an adjustment of their advertised weights; the final versions of the 18000, the 20000, and the 25000 weigh 930, 940, and 950 grams respectively, instead of the initially advertised 920, 930, and 945 grams. Daiwa's official websites are being updated with these weights as we speak.

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Still on the DRD drag, I was told that the drag unit will require full service after it had released 3000 metres of line against 10lg (22 lbs) of drag pressure. Since for some active fishermen this could occur every couple of months, Daiwa will instruct us to do that full service ourselves, and will sell a "DRD grease" for this purpose. They say that if the DRD drag isn't serviced on time it would give audible and felt clues, which in my head translates to rapid damage and expensive repairs. I will not get a chance to talk about them in depth until the review is ready, so during that time please follow Daiwa's instructions and don't neglect the service, and I suggest using only Daiwa's DRD grease regardless of what anyone would say to sell you their drag grease. I'm not saying that using different greases is problematic, I'm only saying that we do not know yet, so don't risk it, and only use Daiwa's approved grease until we get to experiment and figure things out.

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As I stood there playing with the extensive Saltiga lineup and learning about them, I kinda felt upset with Shimano for releasing only three Stella SW reels, all belonging in a single size class, with two of them even being 10000. I would've had double the fun exploring a full lineup of Stellas and telling you my observations about their features and capabilities. I digress though, but it's alright since it's my first digression in this long article. Or about.

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Some of the perks available exclusively and strictly to members of the flagship service program who own the qualifying reels, the 2025 Saltiga being one of them, with the metal sign on the table asserting this in the unequivocal terms "you extend hand, you lose the hand". Nah, I'm being silly, the sign actually says "Flagship Owners Only". The members would bring up their registration on the Daiwa app, get verified, and receive these beautiful calendars. Needless to say that I drooled over that calendar of the new Saltiga, but my innocent demeanor and sad puppy eyes failed to get me any sympathy as I stood there with a begging look on my face. Elsewhere Daiwa handed out other stuff to those select few, including fine pens that looked more expensive and nicer built than the standard corporate gifts we're familiar with. I want that too, I want it all. Such an unfair world we're living in!

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Right next to Daiwa was their SLP Works custom shop, offering the stuff listed on the entrance, left side of the photo.

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There is already an extensive collection of optional parts for the 2025 Saltiga, most notably a 14000 spool with the DRD drag as well as a DRD drag knob for it, allowing the owners of the 8000/10000/14000 2025 Saltiga to have the same roller drag of the bigger reels. The 14000 spool fits the bodies of the 8000 and 10000 reels, in case you didn't know.

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A custom body of the 2024 Certate, which one would get then freely buy his preferred spool, handle, handle grip, etc., to complete the build. Depending on the options, this could be cheaper than buying a complete reel then paying again for one's favourite custom parts. That body comes in different configurations with endless customisations, one of which is the ST (Sensitive Tune) model in which the ball bearings are oiled instead of being greased, and the mag-seals are gone so that the owner doesn't feel the viscosity of the magnetic fluid or the adherence of the balls in the bearings due to magnetisation. To me this feels a bit extreme and I can't imagine being bothered by, or even sensing, the viscosity of a fluid or the magnetic attraction between small steel parts, but these are my subjective feelings and I'm sure ultra finesse fishermen feel differently, otherwise Daiwa wouldn't have offered these options.

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The Exist in the "Semi Order" form, which in addition to the different colour comes with so many alteration and customisation options it's impossible to list them here.

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The "Semi Order" edition of the 2023 inshore Saltiga comes in the stunning blue of the 2014 Expedition. I wonder if they'll offer this for the offshore 2025 reels next year. This blue is certainly not as dignified as the original colour scheme of the 2025 Saltigas, but it's so visually exciting I'd buy one anyway.

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Looks more like a jeweller's case than a reels' display. Daiwa shows off some of the possible SLP Works customisations of various reels. That's a good one to finish my tour of Daiwa on. Will have a quick look around in case I have left out any interesting show participants.

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CB One certainly fits in the "interesting" category. Another Japanese brand that builds premium rods for offshore saltwater fishing only. If you are reading this in the future they might have added other types, but right now these are the only rods they build. They also do lures, in addition to the usual collection branded accessories including gloves, fighting belts, solid and split rings, snaps, etc.

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They encourage visitors to try out their rods, some of which have Stella SWs and Saltigas on them to give people a sense of how they'll feel in real life, the assumption being that fishermen will pair these premium rods with the most expensive spinning reels out there. If you look closely you'd notice that the second reel from the right is a 2025 Saltiga. Daiwa gave their new reels to a large number of other exhibitors, and I kept coming across them attached to various rod brands. On the other hand I have not seen any 2025 Stella SWs outside of Shimano's own exhibit.

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Some CB One stick baits, all are made of wood and painted by hand, which is reflected in their higher prices.

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Hand painted wood poppers to the left, the rest are standard plastic lures.

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The final rod maker of this tour, Ares, is way more prolific than the previous one with an extensive lineup of rods covering shore and offshore disciplines. This Japanese manufacturer has been in business for almost 80 years, yet one seldom hears of it outside of Japan. Another example of this domestic market's ability to sustain large manufacturers without much need for exportation.

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My last stop at a lure maker, this one named "Good Bait" in case anyone looked at them and wondered whether they were good or horrible baits!

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"Good Bait" indeed. These are lovely pieces covering a wide range of specialities. The brand is Japanese and they do manufacture lures in their home country, but not familiar enough with them to know whether or not they have any that are built elsewhere.

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The transparent one shows a weight in the tail to aid with casting and make the lure pop its head up when it stops.

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Some divers too. I particularly like the "flying fish" finish on the top one right side.

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Manga chicks letting everyone know that knives can be sexy.

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Elaborate sheath with a beautiful fish.

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Not my cup of tea, but these are truly impressive. Japan is known for knife and sword crafting, and today the Japanese create what in my opinion are the finest blades anywhere in the world, unmatched by anything that comes out of Solingen or Sheffield.

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A "knot challenge", where visitors are invited to tie their favourite fishing knots, then this machine tests the knots and whoever gets a good number for their knot wins a present. A gentleman from that booth spotted me and invited me to try, sensing that I might be feeling apprehensive for not speaking the language. Very kind people, really.

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Similarly, visitors get to spin this wheel then win a present. As I took pictures of this stand....

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....the lady running it also saw that I was a foreigner and invited me to play with a big welcoming smile. An absolutely delightful human being who wants to spread happiness, just like everyone else in this show. I did not have a single instance of someone acting too busy to look after me properly, and I can't remember making eye contact with anyone without them smiling and nodding indicating readiness to help. Even as I headed to the exit, a door greeter saw me struggling to remove the pink wristband, which for some reason they made strong enough to handcuff a criminal, and he immediately extended his hand offering to help me. As he did, I joked that maybe I should keep it on my wrist and not shower for a day so I could come and enter for free the following day, but he smiled and replied that the wristband for the following day is blue in order to catch sneaky people. That was a funny note to end my visit on.

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On my way out I passed by the show's official artwork on a large board, and its size allowed me to appreciate how charmingly humorous it is. The Japanese way of cartooning things was beginning to grow on me.

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That is one beautiful chunk of steel and concrete, and I imagine the view from above would be something special. And apparently over there they can still raise their flag and not have it burned down by unemployed derelicts who in their mid 30s still live with their parents and spend their days upvoting calls for revolutionary murders on Reddit.

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Up on the bridge for the short stroll to Osaka bay.

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A playground, footpaths, soil, benches, and not a single piece of trash in sight or plastic garbage floating on the water.

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This made me want to tear up my passports and seek asylum in the country. Even though the sign instructs people to lock their bikes, I only spotted two locks on the ~36 bikes in there. People feel perfectly safe leaving their rides unlocked knowing that nothing will happen to them. Try doing this as an experiment in your city, and most likely you'll finish lining up the pikes then raise your phone to take a selfie with them only to find that they're already gone in the 2 seconds it took you to turn around and raise the phone.

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Finally there, and what a view.

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Pictures don't do it justice, it was all too perfect for words. Even the sea wind felt amazing despite the near freezing temperature, and the sounds of ships from afar aroused an undefined nostalgia. I think that we anglers have a special connection to the water beyond the simple beauty everyone else sees in it. To us it carries memories, stories, first experiences, joys, successes, and even losses and heartbreak that have become an integral part of our human experience.

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Haven't sat down in almost 8 hours, let me sit on those steps for a quick moment to take the view in and rest my legs.

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As I sat there looking through the catalogues I got at the show, this curious little sparrow came to check me out and look for food. No problem mate. If you find any please share. I'm so hungry I'd eat a worm if you find a fat pair.

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It was right at this moment that I felt all my thoughts and plans and concerns being swept away by a wave of joy going through my entire being, leaving no place for any other feeling. It was such a great moment of fulfilment. Fishing is an intrinsic part of my identity, both the activity and its tools, and while the activity sidet had long been satisfied as I fished incredible locations over the decades, the tools side had just been nourished beyond anything I ever desired. I had just spent hours browsing what I believe is the greatest collection of fishing tackle ever assembled in one place, right in the mecca of tackle industry where many brands don't even bother going overseas, and it was made even more special by the simultaneous release of the two powerhouse spinning reels which last happened almost a quarter of a century ago.

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That joy was followed by an immense amount of gratitude, first and foremost for my Lord and Saviour who blessed me with this great life and gave me every talent or capability I might have, then to you because I would never have gone on this trip if not for you. The way you respond to my writings, telling me how fun or informative you found them, made me really want to give you something special and unexpected, and hopefully I've succeeded at that. Whether you're a casual reader or one who's been here for years, you all mean the world to me and I will always endeavour to make your visit here an enjoyable one.

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Now let me get on the subway and find some food before I die, because it would be kinda hard to carry on my plans to explore Osaka's largest tackle shops a cadaver.

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Kinda disappointing to eat McDonald's instead of exploring Japanese cuisine, but I was in survival mode and these are the first folks I found who offer food that is dead and cooked. Good burgers though, and while still not of the same size depicted in the menu's photos, they were definitely bigger and better than the tiny sad looking smashed mess I get from burger chains in every other country. Once I've eaten I could feel the big sleep that follows the recovery from jet lag coming to me, so it's time to go home.

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I had only used it for number 1 since I checked in the previous night, now I had to learn how it actually works because it was more complex than the simpler models I used at the airport or the show.

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All in Japanese, so I had to guess and test my way through it; a power button that essentially works only as an "off" one, since the toilet is always on sensing my movement and warming the seat for me if it thinks I'm about to sit. That felt kinda infantilising. I camp to hunt and fish, and I squat and do it in the open in freezing cold while watching out for snakes and perverts, so a seat warmer for delicate tushies felt a bit insulting. Then there is a button for a strong water spray for through cleaning, followed by a button for a useless soft spray that I assume is for those looking for tickles, then a button for women that sends water to both rear and front, which is outdated and offensive since we're now living in the times of  "bepenised women" whose femininity isn't at all diminished by the huge "bulge" that puts most of ours to shame. Next is a button for a dryer that releases hot air similar to a hand dryer, except this one sends the air up instead of down. The second row has a control for water spray strength, and a position control that moves the sprayer forward/backward for the user to aim at the "bullseye" so to speak.

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Jokes aside, check out South Park season 26 episode 3 (left) because they make the case for using this thing and explain its health benefits as well as the savings on toilet paper. The motorised Japanese type is expensive and needs electricity, but there is a much simpler and cheaper version (right) that uses normal pipe pressure and is easily affixed to any toilet. See the great bargain you get on this site? You came for reels, you got advice on your stinky behinds as extra.

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After a solid night of sleep, woke up early and sat in bed sipping coffee and answering your emails, then my life changed forever when I saw this beauty on a morning TV show and realised that the subway girl was just a passing infatuation and that this TV girl was the real love of my life and the one I was put on this earth to find and exchange vows with. I had no idea what she was saying because Japanese is totally indecipherable to my ears, but she kept saying something that sounded like "deskee-doo" in the cutest way imaginable, and each time I wished I could interrupt her "deskee-doo" with a kiss! If you know who she is please tell me so I could buy the ring and go beg her father for her hand in marriage or however they do it over there.

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I'll fast forward to the afternoon now, because that morning I went back to the show, not for fun this time but rather as a journalist, ready with several translation apps and pre-translated questions to enquire about certain details, sales numbers, reported issues, and several design and manufacturing aspects concerning reels and rods both current and older models. It was a rare opportunity to speak to people directly connected to the development and testing of some of the most important fishing tackle in the world, and I wanted to make the most of it. I had also gotten replies to some emails that I sent earlier to Japanese dealers I've long dealt with, two of which confirmed that they will be at the show so I wanted to meet them in person after decades of emailing and phone calls. Many of the information mentioned earlier were obtained on this second day, as well as a few photos that I retook because the ones I took on the first day turned out to be of unusable quality.

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I had made a list of 4 fishing tackle shops that I decided were a must due to their size and extensive stocks, and had I had more time in Osaka I would've visited at least 4 more that are still great by any standard but just smaller. Unfortunately my stay was pretty short so I had to stick to what I considered the main 4.

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Making my way to the headquarters and main shop of "Fishing Eight", I emerged from Nagahara Station which is a 5 minutes walk from the shop. I then took a photo of the station's exit (left) from the exact same angle as a screenshot that I had captured from street-view maps (right) when I was still back home to help me figure out which way to go. It's a curious habit that I have as a world traveller, one day in my bed capturing street views in far continents, then days later I'm actually standing there in the flesh. One day I'll be showing these side-by-side images to my grandchildren and telling them about my adventures, as their grandmother, the morning TV girl, looks and smiles.

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Having spent the morning and noon at the show, my stomach was once more screaming as I walked by a food place that smelled absolutely delicious, yet again I had no idea what they served and the language issue kept me from asking so I kept walking. Sadly, in this photo you can see two discarded bottles near the front of the car, which marked the first time I saw trash on the ground since I arrived. Took a mental note of their location, and on my way back from the shop I picked them up out of respect for this great nation and its people and later that day threw them in a trash bin near my hotel.

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Here  it is. Two floors of fishing goodies with its own parking lot.

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