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Wednesday, January 27, 2016

Carp Fishing in Tokyo

I recently returned from a business trip to Japan where I spent several days in Tokyo.  We had a couple days off to explore, so with our friend Daisuke as chauffeur, we made our way to a neighborhood whose name I can't remember, where there is a public carp fishery.


For the reasonable price of 1,000円 (~$10) per hour, you are granted angling access to this vibrant fishery, plus the use of a one-piece fiberglass pole, a net of your choosing plus a softball-sized wad of bait that I believe was cat food. 


The game is simple:  construct an almond-sized bait-ball around your hook, adjust your float to the desired depth, 'cast' your bait in, take seat on the provided milk crates and commence fishing.  And when I say 'fishing,' I mean take part in any one, or combination of the following: staring at your bobber; talking shit to your buddies; drinking warm, canned Japanese coffee (Black Boss being my preferred flavor); observe the talented locals land six fish before you get a bite; stare off into space and contemplate life; talk about life with your buddies; forget about your bait completely then check it, to reveal that it has been stolen; borrow your buddy's polarized glasses to see four carp swimming around your bait; smell your bait-stained fingers, cringe and try not to scratch your itching forehead; hoot and holler when your buddy hooks one; laugh when he loses it; applaud when he lands the next one; forget the time completely and then when you've used up a half hour more than your hour, fish your way back to the cash register trying to get one more bite.



Now that's some fishin' I'd like to do again!
 

3 comments:

Keith said...

If I had a yen for every time I was out carp fished by a japanese man, let's just say I'd be carp fishing more often...

Halsch said...

What a scene. Wet or dry cat food?

Morrell said...

WILD. Does the entry fee include the privilege of keeping your catch. See anybody spearfishing?