Kumihama Bay. Kyoto Prefecture, Japan. Visit with Atsushi Toyoshima: oyster farmer and innovator.

After arriving in the Kyotango Peninsula I suited up in a bright rubber-duck yellow rain slicker alongside Atsushi in his modest blue one as we geared up to head out into the Kumihama Bay. Bringing around the skiff tied behind several larger boats at the dock, he explained that we would be able to approach the oyster farm without disturbing the bivalves in their habitat with a smaller boat. 

Atsushi navigated us to the oyster farm set in the middle of the Kumihama Bay. The wind whipped my hair into a frenzy as I turned to take in the lush green mountains around us. I was informed that the waters are usually clear with a bright blue glow but the recent rain from the typhoon had stirred up quite a bit of the seabed, dimming the vivid hues into clouds of muted green. Although Atsushi admitted regretfully that he wished the weather had cleared enough for me to experience the “true” Kyotango Peninsula, all I saw around me was beauty.

The sky threatened to open up again as we reached the oyster farms settled in the bay, and Atsushi worked fast to check the harvest. Currently, the Kumihama Bay oyster farmers use an older method involving bamboo stalks to create the frame that rests just above the water. With great skill, Atsushi balanced strategically on the bamboo while pulling up the oyster clusters. He proceeded to show me the cockles he’d harvested and I learned that only 50% of them make it, so every one of those bivalves count!

One of the many enlightening moments during my visit was hearing how artisans all over the country are seeking out ways to bring modern applications in to traditional arts so that the craft doesn’t disappear. Atsushi brings fresh perspective and innovation to the oyster farming industry: many people in the countryside don’t usually have the opportunity to meet with business consultants, so older fishermen tend to stay within their current ways.

Atsushi is changing things up by incorporating techniques used in Kyushu that have been known to expedite the time-consuming process of cleaning oysters for market. Looking to the future, he is currently gaining sage advice from business-savvy individuals on how to invest in his legacy.

With our time soon drawing to a close as the boat sped towards shore I reflected upon the immense dedication of oyster farmers like Toyoshima san, willing to endure the changing tides of the industry for that bittersweet reward.