Shizuoka Shimbun (Kaiko Research Institute), Yui Port Fisheries Cooperative, and UmiGo collaborate to create a new marine experience through fishing, tourism, and digital technology~
Shizuoka Shimbun Co., Ltd., in collaboration with the Yui Port Fisheries Cooperative will open a new fishing experience service, “Fishing Experience GO: Our Yui Fish Market,” on Tuesday, August 25, 2026. The Shizuoka Shimbun’s new business development team, “Miyu Lab,” is at the core of this project, with the participation of marine industry startup company Umigo Co., Ltd. in planning and technical support. This unique fishing experience focuses on the fixed-net fishing methods of Kurazawa Fisheries Co., Ltd. Enjoy a special day where you can understand fishing with your mind and body, and feel it with your heart. Opening on Tuesday, August 25, 2026. We encourage you to participate!
Click here for the special website
Not just a market tour, but a special “fishing experience.”
A single fish on display in a supermarket. Who brought it here, and when and how is its price determined?
At dawn in Yui Fishing Port, fixed-net fishing boats return to port, the fish are sorted at the market, brokers set prices, and the fish enter the distribution chain. The “normal” things on our dinner tables are built upon this continuous process.
“Fishing Experience GO: Our Yui Fish Market” is a program where you don’t just “watch” a day, but “participate.” You’ll welcome the fixed-net fishing boats, design your own shop name, act as a middleman and determine the price of the fish, prepare the fish yourself, and share a meal with the fishermen. You’ll see the fish right in front of you, and the fishermen’s genuine expressions. This unique experience will connect textbook knowledge with reality for children, and give adults a chance to reconsider their relationship with fish. It’s an experiential learning program for all ages.
A deeply meaningful day, touching upon the feelings of fishermen.
We’ve created a schedule packed with learning and experiences from start to finish.
Date and Time : Tuesday, August 25, 2026, meeting time 6:30 AM – scheduled to end at 12:00 PM
Location : Yui Fishing Port (Shimizu Ward, Shizuoka City, Shizuoka Prefecture)
Target audience : No age restrictions
Capacity : 25 people (first-come, first-served)
Participation fee : 5,000 yen per person (tax included)
*The participation fee includes 1,000 yen that can be used for actual bidding during the auction experience. Lunch is included.
Special website: https://umigo.co.jp/yui-fishing-port/
How to apply : Reservations can be made via the UMIGO app [ iOS ] [ Android ]
This program is designed for all ages, but the learning portion is set at a difficulty level suitable for upper elementary school students to junior high school students. It will be helpful for learning the following educational curriculum.
Arithmetic: A practical understanding of ratios and profit and loss calculations
Society: Hands-on experience in the fisheries and distribution industry
Inquiry-based activity: Discovering the story behind the fish sold in supermarkets.
6:30-7:50 [Meeting and Fish Unloading Tour]
We will meet at Yui Fishing Port. We will review the day’s schedule and have a live phone call with the captain who is out at sea. Afterwards, we will get a close look at the fish being unloaded from the fixed net fishing boats.
7:50-8:30 [Auction Observation] : Observe an actual auction and experience the excitement firsthand.
8:30-9:30 [Sorting and Market Learning] : Participants will sort fish and create shop names. Members of Umigo will act as instructors, teaching about the market and the fish pricing system.
9:30-10:30 [Participant Auction Experience]
Using the knowledge they’ve learned, participants will experience an auction firsthand. This is a real auction where the proceeds go directly to the fishermen. In addition to the 1,000 yen included in the participation fee, participants are welcome to contribute more than their actual expenses.
10:30-12:00 [Cooking and Dining Experience] : Move to the kitchen on the second floor and prepare the fish yourselves. In addition to freshly caught sashimi, you can also enjoy tempura and fish soup.
Clothes that can get dirty
When sorting, seawater splashes out.
Non-slip shoes
The market is wet. Sneakers are fine, but please refrain from wearing heels or other high heels as they pose a risk of tripping.
Cooler box filled with ice
You can take home any fish you win at auction.
*For those who do not have a cooler box or find it difficult to bring one.
We will provide styrofoam and ice (for a fee). If you are unable to prepare the fish yourself, we can help with the preparation after the experience, subject to staff availability.
The story of how this unique fishing experience came to be.
The birth of the new business development team “Miyu Lab”
It all began in 2024 when I participated in “SHIZUMAE Lab. 2024,” a program supporting new businesses in the marine sector run by Shizuoka City, with the aim of launching a marine business within Shizuoka Shimbun.
Therefore, a team was formed with external pro bono volunteers from diverse backgrounds, including experts in the fisheries and IT fields, designers, and students studying food, all sharing the same vision. With the mission of “reimagining the value of the sea and creating new industries in the region,” the new business development team “Miyu Lab” was born.
Encounters with “Yui Port Fisheries Cooperative” and “Kurasawa Fisheries”
Currently, fishing ports throughout Japan are facing serious challenges such as declining catches and a shortage of successors. Yui Port, a major base for the globally rare sakura shrimp fishery, is no exception, facing challenges such as poor catches, particularly of sakura shrimp, worsening business conditions due to rising fuel prices, and a lack of facilities to accommodate tourists.
Therefore, under the Shizuoka Prefecture’s “Marine Industry Startup Project” program, Shizuoka Shimbun and the Yui Port Fisheries Cooperative have signed a cooperation agreement and will work together with Kurazawa Fisheries, which conducts fixed net fishing, to create a new “marine industry” that utilizes existing resources.
Marine industry startup “Umigo Co., Ltd.” joins the group.
UmiGo Co., Ltd., based in Nishi-Izu Town, is a noteworthy marine industry startup that started with the “Umi-Tsuri GO” service, which solves fishing port fishing ground problems through an app and innovative on-site management. While facing various social issues in fishing villages and fisheries cooperatives, they felt the need to go beyond just fishing ground management and service the fishing industry itself. Typical “fishing experiences” tend to focus only on the glamorous aspects, such as fish dismantling demonstrations and auction viewings that offer an extraordinary experience. However, they wanted to open up a world where people could experience the whole picture of fishing, including the harsh realities such as declining catches, in a “true social tour and fishing experience.” This vision strongly synergized with the previous efforts and framework of the Umi-Yui Research Institute, giving birth to a new fishing experience service that weaves together learning and experience.
Organizer
Kaiyui Research Institute (Shizuoka Shimbun Co.), Yui Port Fisheries Cooperative
Co-sponsored
Association for preserving the beautiful and abundant seas of Shizuoka for the future
Planning and technical support
Umigo Co., Ltd.
cooperation
Shizuoka New Food Culture Co-creation Organization (a general incorporated foundation), Kurazawa Fisheries Co., Ltd.
Access to Yui Fishing Port
If you are coming by car
From the Shimizu Interchange on the Tomei Expressway, take National Route 1 towards Numazu/Fuji for approximately 15 minutes.
From the Fuji Interchange on the Tomei Expressway, take National Route 1 towards Shizuoka for approximately 20 minutes.
If you are coming by train
Approximately a 10-minute walk from JR Tokaido Main Line “Yui Station”.
