Let's get the race started !

by Kazu

It could be said that the kelp-picking fishermen living on the small island called Kojima had the advantages of being near the best field in front of the island. The two boats comparatively smaller than the ones from the mainland were leaving the beach to their best points.

 The southern side of the island could be seen from the lookout of the island. It was very fine and calm on the ocean.

In a few minutes, the fisherman's boats reached to the kelp-field around Daikoku Island.

The speedier the better and no boats were left near the main land of Hokkaido.
Early in the morning at five thirty, the kelp-picking race started again in front of us and the second tough work for us would be started thirty minutes later.

The end and start of the day !

 by Kazu

Just the sound of waves praised our tough work on the day. It was very calm on the beach and the scenery was kind of solemn.

All the bunches of kelp were collected and the stone beach was raked and flattened again.

 This is the photo taken from the lookout of the island on the next day, at five o'clock. Can you find the small white dots on the sea ?
The kelp-picking boats headed to the start-line on the sea. The race would start again !

The end of the first job training !

by Kazu

It seemed that Mentor Mr. Ishizaki picked up much more kelp than usual because we quality workers were helping out him to dry, cut and pack the kelp.

 The the bunches of cut kelp were accumulated in the warehouse until the shipping and the circumstances nurtured the top-quality taste. The blue rope showed the top-quality and the green showed under the top-grade.

They would be packed in the cardboard boxes by Mr. Ishizaki and his wife in the evening and would wait for the shipping.

 I dived into the ocean after the tough work and enjoyed BBQ with the ladies. We would have to do the same tough work on the next day.

Cutting and packing kelp !

by Kazu

The bunches of kelp should be compiled on the guide and cut with a small saw.
The part near the root of kelp was ranked in the superior grade and the other end was ranked in the so-so grade.

Only a few bunches wee left on the beach.  The end of the tough work could be seen at that moment.

Mr. Ishizaki, our mentor showed us the top grade "Oni Konbu" that meant "Ogre Kelp" in Japanese and  could not be merchandised because it was so difficult to treat due to the size and the flare.

 The taste was so nicer than othe kinds of kelp dried on the beach. That was the privilege only the kelp-picker and their family can savor.
I was sill working but the ladies seemed to be running out of the power:) and tasting the kelp they dried.  

After the break !

by Kazu

It was very calm during the first break o the day. But the wives of the kelp-picker continued to work for laundry.

We took the brunch as the second meal on the day to beef up ourselves for the second work .

We had to collect the bunches of kelp to cut and pack for shipping.

 The bunches of the dried kelp were so lighter than before and the procedure made the kelp much nicer for making broth. At that moment, we could expected the end of the work on the day.

This is the work of art made by tough work !

by Kazu

It was the first time for me to see the glaring lines of kelp. Only the people who devoted themselves to making quality kelp could see the beautiful scenery, I think. Looking back the tough work, some kinds of premium might be added to the beauty.

 It was the time for a break. It was at 10:30 in the morning. Kelp-picking started at 5:30 early in the morning and kelp-picking should stop by 9:30 in the morning.

The kelp carriers and we had to wait for a while until the upper side of the kelp were dried enough and the time to turn over came.

Five-hour tough work was much tougher than we had expected. We needed water and nutrition supply before the second work to turn over the kelp.

Start of the race and art !

by Kazu
All the boats for kelp-picking were set on the best point to picking up kelp between Daikoku Island and Kojima as well as around the two islands.
  

 The boat of Mr. Ishizaki dropped off tons of kelp and went back to his point to pick up the best quality kelp. It was so tricky to move the kelp from the boat to the carrier because the surface of the kelp was covered with slime to protect its body. "Do not grab the kelp ! Just hold and convey softly !" was the word from our mentor Mr. Ishizaki.

Depending on the kinds of the kelp such as "Ma Kombu", " Ohba Kombu, and "Oniba Kombu", the places to lay on were decided by the wife and the daughter of Mr. Ishizaki.
One hour and half later, they should be turned upside down for producing quality kelp to eat and for making broth.

 I bought the windbreaker for the three ladies because the attire would get dirty and smelling with the slime of the kelp. It was so tough to carry the kelp and lay on the beach. So it was like keeping squat more than one thousand times. But the work made kind of beautiful scenery of art on the beach.