Eel fishing on the Ooka, Yokohama part 2

Having crash landed into this neo-Nippon lifestyle, things slowly evened out throughout the week. Toshi, though retired from a commercial fishing business, still went out eel fishing in the Ooka river three times a week. He sells his catch at the market or brings some home for Yukio to cook. I went with him during the days while he set out his traps. It's funny, I always thought of eel as swampland creatures and that really scary part in Princess Bride. But, eel is a favorite food among the Japanese, I soon found out why (so good, the sauce is amazing). Eel fishing, itself, is a fascinating process and Toshi’s process is more intriguing. He still fishes with traps he used in the 50s and 60s. These traps are controversial as they are electrically charged. If an eel swims through, it is zapped and killed instantaneously, therefore, the eel does not need to be brought out of the water and bashed in the head ‘til it stops flopping around (the common practice). The traps were designed by a French engineer but, due to cost, never caught on with the mainstream fishing outfits.

Toshi's Electric Eel Trap

I have to say these traps seem to be the least cruel way to catch eel (just like the lobster electrocuter). But then, of course, Hortence found out.


Being a strict vegan and PETA spokesperson, she could not believe that I would practice such cruelty. She even fought with her grandfather. She called Toshi’s traps cruel and unfair, “at least with regular eel fishing (using lures and hooks) the eel has a fighting chance. What you’re doing is no worse than what the Americans did, dropping the bomb on your family.” Toshi’s father and mother were among those who suffered the worst radiation poisoning from Nakasaki. He was out on a destroyer, and heard the news over the radio. Immediately after saying this, Hortence stormed upstairs.

The more primitive eel fishing method.

I was left to apologize, in my pathetic Japanese. I tried to explain that she loses control when it comes to animal issues. She once screamed, “I’ll skin your fucking mother, cut off her tits and make slippers from her muff,” to a rabbit farmer’s children. The other protesters (naked and covered in blood) told her to take a breath and calm down. I think the reality and pressure of taking care of two independent, stubborn and feisty adults was beginning to sink in. And, again, my role was to be supportive. That night Hortence was crying. “I’ve never spoken to my grandfather that way.” I felt bad for her. She’s slowly losing her only family. I wouldn’t know how to process those feelings, either.

Me holding our biggest catch in July '08

I'm Back!! Yokohama pt. 1

Just like Fast Eddie Felson at the end of "The Color of Money", I'm back. It's been a crazy year and a bit so allow me to fill you in.



First, Hortense and I left quite abruptly in October of 07 to visit her ailing Grandparents in Japan. They raised Hortense after her parents passed and are her only living family, so as soon as she heard that they were having trouble getting around and couldn't afford a live-in nurse, we zipped on down to Yokohama for an undetermined amount of time. Upon arriving, I couldn't help notice how metropolitan it was, a lot like Chicago (or the Chicago I've seen from John Hughes movies). Hortense's grandparents, Yukio and Toshi, live in the Izumi-ku ward, a suburb which resembles many American burgs.

(Yokohama View)

When we got there, I couldn't believe how spry and jovial the couple was. Making jokes about my height and hairy arms, while Yukio made us tea with little cakes from a local bakery. This did not seem like a couple on their way out. Until they started getting ready for bed.

What Hortense and I didn't realize is that Toshi has a colostomy bag. He conceals it pretty well under a bright blue windbreaker. He can't afford the disposable bags so he has to empty it throughout the day. Our first night there, he emptied it and the smell was awful. It physically knocked me out. We were jet-lagged and exhausted, but the smell kept us from passing out. Hortense kept apologizing but it wasn't her fault and I wanted to support her, so I kept telling her it wasn't that bad. Even though it was.

(Colostomy Bag)

Yukio has been in decline and succumbing to varying forms of dementia. While I didn't notice at first, H. wondered why Yukio wasn't speaking. She smiled and laughed politely but restricted her speech to monosyllabic words. Yukio had a minor stroke late last year and this must be one of the side effects. Yukio thought she might be misinterpreting her grandmother's shyness with me; but apparently she'd always been a gregarious woman. The next morning, H. woke me in a panic, "Grandma's paralyzed", she cried.

Toshi hurried upstairs to see what was wrong and then laughed once he saw why H. was distraught. In addition to becoming mute, Yukio now suffers from sleep paralysis. It's common among stroke victims; for the first few minutes upon waking, Y. lays in bed unable to move. Her body still thinks she's asleep, even though her brain is awake and conscious. H. became more and more frustrated every day because she wanted to speak to her grandmother about her experience and empathize, but she could only offer her sympathy. I wonder what Yukio felt or thought, if anything.

(Yukio and Toshi Mori)