Ways to book
Japanese fishing boat operators (funayado) usually take bookings in these ways. Check which ones each operator accepts on its official website.
- Phone: the most common way. The call will almost always be in Japanese.
- Booking form or email: you can write your request, which makes translation apps easy to use.
- LINE: Japan's most popular messaging app. More and more operators take bookings through it.
Choosing an operator you can book with in writing makes the language barrier much smaller. Whether an operator can reply in English varies, so feel free to ask.
A booking message you can copy and send
For a booking form, email or LINE, a message like this is easy to understand. Replace the parts in ใ ใ.
ไบ็ดใใ้กใใใพใใ
ๆฅใซใก๏ผใ11ๆ20ๆฅใ
้ฃใ็ฉ๏ผใใขใธใใฎไนๅ่น
ไบบๆฐ๏ผใ2ไบบใ
ๅๅ๏ผใJohn Smithใ
้ป่ฉฑ็ชๅท๏ผใ090-XXXX-XXXXใ
้ๅ ทใฎใฌใณใฟใซ๏ผใ2ไบบใจใๅธๆใใพใใ
ๆตทๅคใใใฎๆ ่ก่ ใงใๆฅๆฌ่ชใๅฐใใใๅใใใพใใใ่น้ฃใใฏใๅใใฆใใงใใใใใใใ้กใใใพใใ
In English, this says: "I would like to make a booking. Date: 20 November. Target: shared boat for horse mackerel (aji). People: 2. Name. Phone number. Rental tackle: yes, for both of us. We are visitors from overseas and only understand a little Japanese. This is our first time boat fishing. Thank you."
Saying it is your first time and that your Japanese is limited often means the crew will help with your seat and rigs.
Things to check when you book
| What to check | How to ask in Japanese |
|---|---|
| Meeting time and place | ้ๅใฏไฝๆใงใใ๏ผใฉใใซ่กใใฐใใใงใใ๏ผ |
| Price and payment | ๆ้ใฏใใใใงใใ๏ผใซใผใใฏไฝฟใใพใใ๏ผ |
| Rental tackle | ็ซฟใจใชใผใซใๅใใใใพใใ๏ผ |
| Life jacket | ใฉใคใใธใฃใฑใใใๅใใใใพใใ๏ผ |
| How you will know if the boat goes out | ๅบ่นใใใใฉใใใฏใใใคใใฉใใใฃใฆๅใใใพใใ๏ผ |
| Parking and access | ้ง่ปๅ ดใฏใใใพใใ๏ผ้ง ใใๆญฉใใฆ่กใใพใใ๏ผ |
On the day
- Check-in: arrive about 30 minutes before the meeting time. Give the name on your booking and fill in the passenger list (name, address or hotel, phone number).
- Payment: pay the fee. Many operators take cash only.
- Your fishing spot on the boat: how places are allocated varies by operator (first come first served, a draw, and so on).
- Fishing: when the boat reaches the spot, the captain announces when to start. Do not drop your rig into the water before the signal. The captain's usual words are in our Japanese phrasebook for boat fishing.
- Back to port: when the captain says fishing is over, reel in. Back at the port, return any rental tackle and pack your catch in a cool box or bag.
If the trip is cancelled
In bad weather, trips can be cancelled the day before or on the morning. How you will be told differs between operators, so ask when you book. There is normally no charge when the weather cancels a trip, but never simply fail to turn up. If your plans change, let the operator know as early as possible.