For a couple of weeks now, the smaller fishing boats in the port have been sporting special yellow "hikitsuri" flags. A casual inquiry to my fishing friend Rikimatsu-san as to the meaning of hikitsuri, literally "fishing by pulling," brought an invitation to go out with him and see for myself.
At 5 a.m., we motored out of the harbor, the only light coming from the red port marker flashing every five seconds. As we passed my house on the port, the flashing red light reflected off the windows making it look like my house was going up into flames every five seconds. The seas were calm as we moved toward the Shiraishi lighthouse, beckoning us with its flashing white light every three seconds. As we passed the lighthouse, Rikimatsu-san pulled on his rubber fishing pants over his jeans, securing them around his waist with an old rope looped twice around his hips. When we arrived at the fishing spot 15 minutes later, we were the only ones there. We readied the hooks and waited for dawn.
With fish, it's all about breakfast, and we wanted to be the first ones to offer them the morning spread. This was one special breakfast indeed: neon pink and neon green rubber squids, attached to 10 hooks on a single fishing line. Dropping this line into the water while pulling it behind the boat would create a floating banquet for the fish who, just waking up and rubbing their eyes, would see this parade of squid and think, "Wow -- breakfast!" Whoops, well, my breakfast anyway.