Fuchy ( @mari_fuchigami )

from Osaka / FUCHIBITE / WEST MARINE

Mari Fuchigami, also known as "Fucchi," is a very popular fishing girl who is in high demand on TV and at events. Her own brand, FUCHIBITE , is very popular among anglers.

What made you start using DANG?

Tanyuri

First of all, Fuchy, you've been using DANG sunglasses for quite some time now, right? What made you start using them?

Fuchy

Well, I can't remember when, but it was around the time I started Instagram... I think it was around 2017 when I had just started fishing and bought DANG at Muraspo.

Tanyuri

Wow, at Murasaki Sports!

Fuchy

I wasn't much of an outdoorsy person in the past, so I didn't have any sunglasses like that. I only had Gucci or Louis Vuitton, so I wanted sunglasses that I could wear outdoors, so I went to Murasaki Sports (laughs).

Tanyuri

So you originally went to look at it to use for fishing or other outdoor activities.

Fuchy

That's right. The price was quite reasonable and I thought it would be cute as a fashion item.

Tanyuri

That's right! (I agree) By the way, what model of sunglasses did you buy then?

The first pair of DANG sunglasses I bought

Fuchy

The first thing I bought was a pair of red LOCO lenses with an illustration of a bottle on the side!
I tried them on and thought they were the shape that fit my face best and suited me best, so I bought them.

Tanyuri

I see, that's amazing. That's how it all started and now this interview has come true!

Fuchy

One time, when I went to a managed fishing pond to fish for trout or something, I dropped it into the river, and Nishi-san miraculously scooped it up with a dip net (laughs).
The water was so murky I couldn't see anything at all, but they managed to scoop up some that had sunk.

Tanyuri

As expected, Nishi-san is like a god (lol)

Fuchy

So the lens is scratched, but I keep using it (laughs).

Tanyuri

So it seems like you've been using LOCO for a long time now.

Fuchy

That's right. If I were to wear one, I think LOCO would be the most appropriate.

Tanyuri

It really suits you, and even from the outside you get the impression that you're very LOCO!

Fuchy

Really? All the collaborations I've done with West Marine are with LOCO too.

My number one favorite

Fuchy

My favorite pair of DANG sunglasses are the LOCO ones, with a wooden frame and green mirror.
One time while I was fishing on a boat and putting a dip net in, my sunglasses suddenly fell off my head and I lost them. I told someone at DANG, "Those were my favorites, so I'd like to buy some more," and they gave me a pair as a gift, which I've been using ever since.

Tanyuri

So that's what happened. It's true that on social media, the image of Fuchy wearing those sunglasses is the one that comes to mind, and when I think of Fuchy, I think of Wood from LOCO.

Fuchy

I wanted to sell it at West Marine, but I thought the older guys might be too young to buy it. Most of the people who buy it are around 50 years old.
But Nishi-san said that it would be good to release a safe black one first, and then expand from there. This year we made something different, and someday I'd like to release a wood one.

Tanyuri

I see, I see. So this means the collaboration will continue in the future.

Fuchy

That's right. I would like to do that.

What do sunglasses mean to Fuchy?

Fuchy

The main reason for wearing sunglasses while fishing is to protect your eyes, but it also feels like a natural fashion accessory.
When you go fishing and wear outerwear, the colors can sometimes look dark, but even if you're wearing black clothes, just putting on colorful sunglasses can instantly brighten up your look.
I've also been doing a lot of river fishing recently, and I think polarized sunglasses are especially necessary for those occasions.

Tanyuri

That's true. They're really useful for fishing and also look great fashionably.

Fuchy

That's right. Even when I'm not fishing, I often wear them on top of my hat or on my chest.

Tanyuri

I understand! You choose your outfit with the overall look in mind.

Fuchy

I don't really like wearing accessories. I have a metal allergy, so sunglasses are an absolute necessity.

A daily life filled with fishing

Tanyuri

Now, I'd like to take this opportunity to tell you the fishing story you've all been waiting for...
If you look at his Instagram stories, you can see that Fuchy really does go on fishing expeditions or to events almost every day.
How often do you actually fish?

Fuchy

It depends on the season, but from summer to September I'm probably on the boat about three times a week.
I might be doing some kind of fishing in October or November, probably about five times a week.
I'll go fishing on the bank nearby, or when I have a little free time, if you add in 1-2 hours of that, it's probably almost every day.

Tanyuri

Wow! That's amazing!

Fuchy

If you live in Wakayama, you can go by car for about 10 minutes and catch hairtails and squids, or you can catch one or two in the evening for dinner (laughs).

Tanyuri

It's like being self-sufficient (laughs).

Fuchy

That's right. Around 5pm, I get nervous and go out alone without any makeup on, wearing a cap (laughs).

Even a hard life can be solved with practice!

Tanyuri

Just like fishing, you have to go on expeditions quite frequently, which I imagine requires a lot of physical strength...

Fuchy

That's right. When I first started boat fishing, I was tired after a day on the boat for about a week. But now I can go every day. I guess you just get used to it (laughs).

Tanyuri

You're not doing any special training or anything?

Fuchy

Not at all! I'm used to it now (laughs).
I used to get seasick, but now I'm fine!

Tanyuri

Amazing (lol) I guess you can get used to seasickness!

Fishing Girl Skin Care

Tanyuri

There's one other thing I'm concerned about...when you go fishing, you're exposed to a lot of UV rays.
But when I met you for the first time in Wakayama (※1), your skin was so beautiful, so I wondered if you were taking proper precautions or doing skin care routines.

Fuchy

No no no no, not at all!!! I think it just doesn't look like that because it's burnt.
Seriously, I don't even care about skin care anymore (laughs).
I do apply a primer with sunscreen properties before applying makeup, but that's about it.

Tanyuri

Is that so?! I wonder, is the food good or something?

Fuchy

I don't think so... I eat a lot of junk food which is bad for me.
I just had a hearty meal at Osho with Nishi-san (lol)

Tanyuri

I saw it on Stories! The amount of food on the plate was incredible (lol)
Do you both eat a lot?

Fuchy

I think Nishi-san eats more than I do. I drink more to make up for that.
I'm doing a lot of things that are bad for my body (lol)

Tanyuri

I had the image of Futchie as someone who always arranged food beautifully and was very meticulous, so this was a bit surprising (laughs).

Fuchy

I'm the type of person who wants to cook fish well, but I don't care about my own beauty. I find it a pain to apply sunscreen to my body...
It's going to burn anyway... (laughs)

Tanyuri

My skin is really burnt, especially my arms.

Fuchy

I know I'll regret it in the future, but I haven't done anything.

Tanyuri

I wonder. Maybe in the future, even more amazing beauty techniques will be developed...

Fuchy

Yeah, I'm looking forward to that too (laughs).

Tanyuri

I'm hoping for that too lol

*Click here for the article about our first meeting in Wakayama.

Fishing Girl Makeup

Fuchy

Also, when I'm on a boat, I definitely wear makeup. I don't when I'm alone on shore, but when I'm meeting people.

Tanyuri

I see. By the way, how long does it take you to put on makeup and get ready in the morning?

Fuchy

I wake up in the morning and it takes exactly an hour to leave the house.
I thought I had to leave at 4 o'clock, but then I ended up waking up at 3 o'clock.
Yuri, how much?

Tanyuri

I like to take a shower once in the morning, so about an hour and a half.

Fuchy

Isn't it cold in winter?

Tanyuri

It's really cold, but I've got the heating on full blast (laughs).

Fuchy

Wow, is that so?

Tanyuri

I don't usually have a chance to talk about this with fishing girls, so it's really interesting (laughs).
But I guess male fans aren't that interested.

What is Fuchy's main job?

Tanyuri

By the way, is there anything that your fans often ask you?

Fuchy

People often ask me, "What is your day job?"
I often get asked questions like, "Isn't fishing your job?" and "How do you make a living?"

Tanyuri

Your main business is FUCHIBITE, after all.

Fuchy

That's right. My main business is cooking utensils, but I don't write much about my work on Instagram.
I limit my work-related posts to events and festivals. I only post a few glimpses of them on my stories every now and then.
That's why people might think I only do fishing.

Tanyuri

Indeed, if you look at your Instagram, you get the impression that you’re just into fishing (laughs).

Fuchy

That's right. So people often ask me, "Do you make a living from fishing?" But my main job is working for a cooking equipment company, and I get a fixed salary every month.
Fishing is just a hobby, so when I receive requests related to fishing, I'm like, "We're not celebrities, so don't expect too much." "I'd be happy if I was in a position to make noise, but I can't be a good MC" (laughs).

Tanyuri

On the contrary, I think it's that naturalness that makes him popular with everyone.

Fuchy

I don't know, but I probably wouldn't be able to bring everyone together properly.
If I could do that properly and say, "That's my job," then maybe I could make a living from it, but that's not the case, so it feels like "It's just an extension of my hobby."

Top 3 delicious fish to catch

Tanyuri

Your job involves cooking equipment and fishing is your hobby so you've probably eaten a lot of different fish, but what do you think are your top three tastiest caught fish?

Fuchy

This hasn't changed at all, but first place is Isagi and second place is Kawahagi!
Up until now, I had been thinking about whether third place should go to striped jack or hairtail, but last time I went on a location shoot for rock fishing and caught a cold-weather yellowtail, it was so delicious I'd never forgotten it, so cold-weather yellowtail became third place!
I don't like summer greyhounds so much, but I really love cold winter greyhounds.

Tanyuri

Cold greyhound fat is amazing!

Fuchy

The texture of the fish is indescribable, like a mix between a rockfish and a sea bream.

Tanyuri

That's true! I don't have many opportunities to eat it, but I love cold greyre!
Speaking of which, I recently caught and ate a horse mackerel for the first time, and it was very fatty and delicious.

Fuchy

That's right! There are many ways to eat grunt depending on the season. From now on, grunt milt and eggs are included, and they are delicious, so they are said to be in season now...
It was about a month ago, but I caught some horse mackerel before it had even laid eggs, and it was super fatty and delicious.
If you add eggs or other ingredients, the nutrients will go there, so the meat will end up being skinny, but the milt is also delicious, so if you like that then this might be the best option.
In autumn, we also catch "Autumn Isagi" (Japanese horse mackerel). At that time, it doesn't have much fat, but the flesh is quite firm and has a completely different taste from now. It has a sweet taste.
I eat it quite often throughout the year, so I think it's a really delicious fish.

Tanyuri

Wow, there's a lot of depth to the horse mackerel! I'm jealous because there aren't any in the waters off Okayama.
The liver of the second place filefish is also delicious!

Fuchy

That's right. The filefish fishing has been going really well this year, and even now the top angler has caught 60 fish.

Tanyuri

Huh?! Is it possible to catch that many filefish?!

Fuchy

You can catch that many fish (lol)
It was a lot of fun and I caught a lot of fish, but there were still some tiny ones that I couldn't release because my eyes were popping out.
Think about how you can make the fish taste good somehow.
I discovered that when I sauteed them in garlic oil, butter, and soy sauce and ate them that way, they were incredibly delicious no matter how tiny they were.

Tanyuri

Is it okay if I don't cut it into 3 slices?

Fuchy

Yes. You can just remove the skin and innards and eat it with the head on. I uploaded it to YouTube about a month ago, and it shows how to catch a filefish and how to cook it as a recommended way to cook a filefish of this size.

Tanyuri

Wow, I'll check it out!

Fuchy

Fishing for filefish is so much fun.

Tanyuri

The filefish is delicious and sounds fun!

Fuchy

It would be great if we could catch as many fish next season, but it seems like it's been eight years since we've had such good catches.

Tanyuri

How much was it in a normal year?

Fuchy

On a really good day, maybe 20 or 30. He's really good.

Tanyuri

It's completely different...

Fuchy

Apparently, if there are no big typhoons, there are more. But if a big typhoon comes when they are still babies, then the number of babies tends to decrease significantly that year.
He said that if there were no big typhoons, the year would be pretty good.

Tanyuri

I see. If you have another chance, please teach me how to fish for filefish!

What's next for Fuchy?

Tanyuri

So, my last question is, what are your future goals, Fuchy?

Fuchy

I don't have any particular goal in mind when it comes to fishing, but I want to continue doing it even when I'm an old lady, so I'd like to be able to do any type of fishing.
Rather than specializing in one type of fishing and becoming very good at it, I would like to try many different types of fishing so that I can handle any type of fishing.
I recently started sweetfish fishing, and it's completely different from other types of fishing and I've learned a lot.
To put it in a bad way, it’s like I’m not very knowledgeable about anything (laughs).

Tanyuri

I'm really impressed by how enthusiastic he is about trying all the different types of fishing.

Fuchy

Yeah, but rather than wanting to master it, I feel like I want to try different kinds of fishing!

Tanyuri

Are there any fish you'd like to catch in the future?

Fuchy

I've been fishing quite a bit, but I've never caught cod or smelt before. I don't think I'll have a chance to do so.

Tanyuri

Surprising! That's how it was.
But I think you'll be able to catch fish quickly if you go to either place!

Fuchy

That's right. I'd like to try it.

Tanyuri

I'm looking forward to catching more cod and smelt in the future!

Fuchy

If I have the chance to go, I'll do my best (laughs).

Tanyuri

What are your goals outside of fishing?

Fuchy

That's right. I launched the FUCHIBITE cooking utensil brand in 2020, and it will be three years in February, so I want as many people as possible to know about it.
After all, since we've launched it, there's this feeling that...
We're not just holding in-store events at fishing tackle shops; we'll be holding one at Takashimaya in August, and my goal is to collaborate with outdoor shops and get the word out to people other than anglers too.
I'd love to hold events all over the country.

Tanyuri

Wow, that means I'm going to be even busier!

Fuchy

I've started from the western part of Japan, and I think I've been to Kyushu, Shikoku, and Chugoku to some extent. I haven't been to Tohoku yet, so I'd like to go to places I've never been to before.

Tanyuri

Please come to Okayama too!!

Fuchy

Didn't they do it in Okayama?

Tanyuri

Maybe it hasn't been released yet... I'll be waiting for it (laughs).

Fuchy

Yes (lol)

Tanyuri

So, my biggest goal is for FUCHIBITE to expand nationwide!

Fuchy

That's right! I want to expand nationwide. I'd also like to go overseas, but I have big dreams.

Tanyuri

I'm looking forward to seeing Fuchy's future fishing success, but I'm also excited to see FUCHIBITE expand nationwide and overseas!
I'm also secretly rooting for you!

Fuchy

thank you!

Taniyari

Finally, please say something to everyone reading this article!

Fuchy

I will continue to work hard in a natural way, so please support me!

Afterword

So, the interview was so enjoyable that the 40 minutes or so felt like it went by in a flash!
I'm looking forward to seeing Fuchy's future fishing success, but I'm also excited to see how much FUCHIBITE will grow!
Thank you Fuchy for your cooperation with the interview!!

Taniyuri ( @taniyuri314 )

from Okayama / NAGISANE WORKS

Web creator and angler with 9 years of fishing experience! From light fishing on shore to mid-deep sea slow jigging, he strives every day in search of delicious fish.