Editor’s Note
No.67 — SHIZUOKA（2022）
Fishing in Paradise
By LUCAS B.B.
This issue is dedicated to the many folks and fish, of the great prefecture of Shizuoka, that were affected by the recent Typhoon Talas. May the force be with you and your future catches great.
There is a place, like no other place on earth. A land full of wonder, mystery, nature, culture and FISH. The place is Shizuoka, a unique geological slice of heaven. Her heart, lungs and bosom are found in Suruga Bay. Here the mother mountain, Fuji San, towers 3,776 meters into the sky while its rocky roots reach deep down into the 2,500-meter Suruga Trough. This 6,000-meter high-low contrast in combination with the major rivers spilling daily doses of mountain nutrients into the bay, bless the region with over 1,000 species of Fish.
It is in this blissful Shizuoka setting that our stars; two charismatic middle age fishing fantasists, outdoor tastemakers, and longtime playground friends Jackie and Jerry join us for an epic fishing trip. They are led by young, beautiful, creative, vivacious and highly intelligent local fisherwomen who are breathing fresh life into Japan’s ‘Fish’ capital, Shizuoka.
Two more important characters in our aquatic tale are Maeda and Doi they are the pointing stars, Merak and Dubhe, of the fishing galaxy. They keep us aligned so that we don’t get lost. Fish maestro Naoki Maeda, owner of the Sasue Fish Store, points out that Fish is the world’s last ‘wild’ food. The fact that we are still able to eat ‘wild’ in today’s muddy modern world is mindboggling. It’s also a useful reminder for us to take better care of our oceans and environment. Our second pointing star the youthful Yuta Doi, founder of Marine Sweeper, is both a diver and fisherman. He has been dipping deep into Suruga Bay in an effort to clean up the millions of lost lures left behind in the tangles of discarded fishing nets. Doi not only recovers the lures but upcycles them. His work is infusing an ecological viewpoint into the fishing community.
“Jerry enough chatter let’s fish! Pass me one of those Marine Sweeper lures” perks up Jackie after his morning cowboy coffee. With, Mt. Fuji in clear view and birds flying 50 meters from shore our two romantics wade knee high into the surf and cast their lines with all their might so that even their dreams fly long and straight into the Suruga Bay blue. The morning sun rises, and the story begins . . .
Soundtrack
SHIZUOKA
PAPERSKY Soundtrack For Travelers
SHIZUOKA Edition
A list of Songs to enjoy over a cup of coffee, while driving, and of course while flipping through the pages of the SHIZUOKA edition of Papersky.
Selected by:
GOOD NEIGHBORS’ MUSIC VENDER
Shuichiro Sakaguchi (BAGN Inc. / Double Famous)
Kenji Hatogai (BAGN Inc.)
- NORTHERN SKY / Nick Drake
- SUNDAY(feat. Lam-Dan) / Step Tib
- THE LOSER / Derrick Harriott
- FISHERMAN / The Congos
- FISH TERRY / Mac DeMarco
- GROOVIN’ / The Young Rascals
- MY LIFE’S ALL RIGHT / Shira Small
- AFTER SUNRISE / Gene Lawrence
- FISHER ISLAND SOUND / Beirut
- OUTSIDE THE OUTSIDE / Helado Negro