Kuma Eging & Fishing: Osaka Tackle Show 2013

Looking at the title you may thing that the days in Japan last a little longer than any where else in the world, sadly one of the things not on my list of things to do was get sick and that was exactly what happened, for the last few days I have been couped up in a hotel room in Tanabe City only getting out for a few hours each day for medicines and so forth.

Getting back to the good stuff though, I am going to have a hard time explaining what the public day is like, there is no other experience I have witnessed in my life to give it the comparison needed to give it the credit it deserves. To start things off you would have to take the boxing day sales and multiply that by 100 that's what the crowd was like, the line went west about 500 meters and 10 people deep and east the same but only 4 people deep, being part of a company with a display we had access to the show early so I went in and set up for a few photo's. When the gate opened people literally ran in to be the first to see the new product releases as if they were going to be the last one to ever see something. Incredible. In the first 5 minutes more people came through the door of the first hall (by the way this was only one of two halls LOL) than would go through the entire AFTA Show on the Gold Coast over 3 days. The masses of people and the energy that it created was insane. Many of the displaying companies link this energy directly with some sales.

I thought being the strange guy from oversea's I could keep myself out of the lime light and just watch what happens at the show, this was not to be, while I was down on one knee trying to take photo's of the masses coming in I was already being asked to get my photo taken with a customer of Gan Craft. Although this humbling experience was not normal to me by the end of the day after more than 50 of these requests and autographs just while walking around the show it became the normal thing. I though maybe that most of these people were just getting a photo because I was twice their size and wearing the only XXXXL Gan Craft T-shirts in the world but no they actually knew who I was and asked to sign pictures of me in Magazines of on other Gan Craft material. Oh dear what have they created???????? LOL

For those of you who are not aware, in Japan there is a 24 hour fishing channel called Fishing Vision, they had a stand at the show where they recorded heaps of material for the channel, one of the best shows for me on this channel is Egi Para, a show dedicated to squid fishing. Soon after arriving at the show for day 2 I was ushered to a small room at the rear of the stand where I was able to meet in person Yuko Oneisan the host of the show and really nice chick. It was then I found out I would be up on stage and reciting lines given to me in Japanese not more than 5 minutes before getting up...... er... um.... now I am no fading flower nor am I known for my shy tendencies but the pressure was on, learn some new Japanese and then yell it out on stage in an accusation form as part of the show, this was going to end in disaster, as I got up on stag I was comforted in the fact that Mr. Kake was standing behind me translating most of what was happening, when a slap on the back came and a whisper "OK GO", now I am not sure if it was just me but I came out, I do not know how well but it came out LOL, most honored to be sharing the stage with some of Japans best known squidding folks and terrified that I will bring their show down with my poor Japanese. It seemed to work as there was lots of laughter and applause after and it was set up as a comedy type of routine. It was a lot of fun.

I was on my way back towards the Gan Craft stand again stopping for more photo's along the way when on arrival I find Gekizo filming with fishing vision on the stand and some how before I knew it I was somehow worked into this footage also. Geki is a very famous Bass fishermen in Japan, and many people know me from featuring in some of his video clips so if anything would boost my profile in Japan time on screen with Geki does just that. He is a ball of energy and from the time he starts up in the morning till the time he rests he does not stop and I do not think any where I have been in Japan I have ever heard a bad word said about him , he is a very genuinely nice guy, when he was signing autographs at the stand for a short time it was amazing how quick the line grew and he stopped to talk to every person, sign what ever needed to be signed got photo's with people and did what needed to be done to make others happy. I also met with Gekizo's brother Yu, now if Geki and Yu stand side by side I can not see the resemblance, the personality is the same but body not the same, if Yu and me stand side by side we share a common stomach so we are more physical brothers than Gekizo is.

I did manage to get around the show in short bursts with out too much stopping it was a very big and tiring day, so as the show finished we made a quick stop to the hotel and got ready for dinner with every one. Again the hospitality shown to me and also Steve was incredible, after a big feed some of us headed for the Sky bar at the Hyatt known for its views I did try and take some photo's but so much light on the levels made it hard to get a clear photo. While I was sipping away at a few Yamazki's I noticed a familiar face walk past, strangly enough with this being the Osaka Tackle show it could have been who I thought it was, I got my camera ready for when he came back past and sure enough I was right it was the great Skeet Reese from the US, a very famous Bass angler in his own right and ultimately one of the worlds best. Not only a cracking angler after a conversation it was easy to work out he was a great guy too.

This was a big day so enough of the typing I could go all day I will just post pictures as they tell the better story a lot clearer.