Culture Shocking Encounters with "Fisheries People" and "Producers

I was staying with students from the Suisan-chu College of Fisheries who had come to study kelp fishing, and we ended up cooking together. Suisan-chu College is an intercollegiate organization that disseminates information on fisheries, consisting of students from Tokyo University of Marine Science and Technology, Hokkaido University, and others. Fisheries people indeed! Four out of the six people we met brought MY fishing rod and MY traps. They had the option of fishing by themselves before going to the supermarket!

I had heard that "80% of the time you can't catch fish," but I ended up catching about 10 mackerel. The mackerel were handled very well and were fried with shiso leaves and ume plum paste. It was an exciting culture shock.

On days when I couldn't go fishing, I went to the local fresh fish store. I was surprised to find myself buying a salmon so big I had to use both hands to hold it. But I was also amazed at how quickly I could handle it. It was amazing. And the food we cooked together and ate together was delicious. The meat and fish were all from Hiroo, and the BBQ was great. The BBQ with Mr. Kikuchi from his office, Mr. Hoshi, a kelp fisherman, and Mr. Nakamura, a hunter, was a dinner of Hiroo's marine products such as octopus and shishamo, Hiroo's gibier, Hiroo's beef, and the feeling of "Itadakimasu" when the production sites are close by was once again recognized.

Wide streets, vertically oriented traffic signals, rooms without air conditioning, regular broadcasts that play every day, wide skies, and stars on clear days. The ocean the moment you leave the house. Many pastures, many cows, wild animals that appear in a flash. The production site is near and large. There are many landscapes that I recall, but any environment that was different from where I came from was a discovery and stimulus. The seafood lunch at Bay Lounge Coffee, the drive to Cape Erimo and the seal watching were also great.

Eleven days full of encounters

A member of the Japan Regional Development Cooperation Volunteers who is researching the possibility of using kelp for animal feed; a writer who lives in two locations; and a person who is currently working on the development of a new type of livestock. A dairy farmer who started the Piloro Tourism Council and is also involved in town development. A fisherman with a boyish gaze who is trying to make the town more interesting. A man who is traveling around Japan in search of a place to settle down. Students of the Fishermen's College who came to experience kelp fishing. University students, working people from outside the town, immigrants, people born and raised in Hiroo, and people from such a wide range of backgrounds gathered in Hiroo Town, a town of primary industry.

Hiroo is also a town that provides an environment in which university students and working adults who are strangers to the town can easily come in. I heard that not all residents feel the same way and that it is not always easy to find a place to live, but my own life has been enriched by the encounters and discoveries I have made with the unique personalities that I have come to know through my own visits to this town.

As an aside, I am currently living at home. I am considering looking for a job outside of the prefecture, but the experience of living away from my hometown, cooking for myself, driving, and doing laundry, was very valuable to me. I don't want to go home yet. My 11-day stay, which seemed like a long time, passed so quickly that it still wasn't enough. I would like to see the winter and forestry in Hiroo Town. I found an environment and people that make me want to visit again.

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Domingo Local Topics

Domingo Local Topics" brings you the charms of the region through the "real voices" of local residents. The content varies from region to region, including unique local stores, student initiatives, and events created by everyone. We will bring you topics from the region that will make you feel more familiar with the local area and want to visit it.