There are many places to visit globally for fishing enthusiasts – not just for the fishing – but the historical aspects that make these places famous. Gloucester, Florida, Kona, Bimini, Cairns, Osaka, Tokyo, and our own Bay of Islands are all places to visit.
Japan has always been one of my must-see destinations. Whilst in my time working for Shimano NZ. I saw myself annually visiting Osaka, Japan. Shimano’s head office and factory. Japan is a spectacular country, extraordinarily modern and exceptionally well organised. It’s a fantastic place to visit for work or play.
I had always assumed that Tokyo would be the destination for tackle stores and excellent shops. However, the place to go is unquestionably Osaka. If you want to visit and get the best out of it. Go when the Osaka tackle show is on. Not as big as i-cast in the US, but arguably almost as important to some tackle manufacturers given the sheer volume of fishing gear sold in Japan. It is also a little closer to NZ, and if lure fishing is your thing – you will get to see the latest designs in techniques for catching snapper and kingfish. Japan has very similar species to NZ. Snapper, kingfish, bluefin tuna, yellowfin, trout and unquestionably, the Japanese lead the world in designing stick baits and metal jigs. The USA & Hawaii is the home of soft baits and marlin lures. Japan is the home of stick baits and metal lures.
Osaka tackle show is where any new products essential to the Japanese domestic market are released. Japan has an insatiable appetite for fishing tackle, and the domestic market is massive. They have over 50,000 visitors and 150 plus fishing tackle exhibitors at the Osaka show. Day one is reserved for trade and business meetings and the following day for public admission.
One of the most inspiring aspects of the Japanese recreational fishing industry is the work they do, investing in the next generation. Getting kids into fishing is a high priority for them. The manufacturers invest a lot of time and money to expose the next generation to catching fish early. And given that this is their future customer base, it makes a lot of sense. This is a concept we need to follow in NZ.
Luckily for us, English is the language of business, so many people you encounter in Japan will speak at least a small amount of English. But some people will only smile. Overall, the people are helpful, and the country is extremely safe.
Shops in Osaka to visit
Fishing 8 – MASSIVE
Bun Bun – Very large
Lure 1 Ban
Seven Seas
Tackle Berry
Shops in Tokyo to visit
Sansui
Joshuya
Pro Shop Mogi – Yokohama, not to far from Tokyo
Some tackle stores are online only in Japan; however, there are some massive tackle stores in Osaka – with rows and rows of fishing gear.
I recommend you take lots of money 🙂 as you will want to buy stuff for the sake of buying. However, don’t expect to see rows of Carpenter Lures – you’re unlikely to see any.
But you will see thousands of different lures, plenty suitable to the NZ market and even more that aren’t. Reels and rods galore. But be careful with buying Japanese model reels. You are unlikely to get parts quickly, and there are very few models now that the NZ market doesn’t offer; buyers beware. Much the same with rods, of course, the selection defies belief, and it’s easy to fall in love with a specific model that you cant get at home. Just remember the airline will slam you on additional freight and the re-sale on unique, expensive rods is not always great unless the person you are selling it to knows what they are buying. Discounts are not a big thing in Japan either, so don’t expect to buy them cheaper than in NZ.
In my time in Osaka and Tokyo, I spent far too much money on various lures but had great fun doing it, and just the process of doing it was excellent. The staff are very knowledgeable about kingfish and snapper, and they take the time to show you why they rig different hooks on different lures—a fascinating and quality retail process.
Just be aware that not every shop – a lot of them – only offers low to medium end products to suit the local area, and chances are you will be pretty underwhelmed. So do a little research hit the above stores. Time it in with the Osaka show, catch the bullet train to Toyko, check out the original Tsukiji fish market, and visit Pro Shop Mogi in Yokohama. It is about as good an itinerary as you could ask for. The wholesale tuna market has moved from the original quarter to a state of the art premises, and tourists are still welcome. However, the experience is not what it used to be. Nonetheless, visiting the retail market in Tsukiji is a must-do.
Japan also has ridiculous nightlife, and Shibuya is where its at. Wall to wall Neon lights and the volume of people are hard to believe. Cold beer is available through vending machines and dairies – anywhere you like, and drinking is very popular with the Japanese. Their whisky bars are something to behold. And they don’t seem to have any of the negative social impacts of drinking that NZ does.
Sadly, my cache of photos from Japan has disappeared, and I only have a small selection you see here. Hopefully, I can get back soon and do it all over again.
