Having just recently arrived back from Tokyo, I was very disappointed to have run into a seemingly endless series of dead ends regarding information for hunting Japan for foreigners. I know that Japanese can and do own firearms (long guns only, for all intensive purposes), and hunt bear, boar and birds, both upland and waterborne. I have read several old (circa 80s, I think) articles on the web RE: bird hunting (all written by US military personnel stationed in Japan), but in trying to contact the authors, came up empty-handed.

I have family in Japan, and as I will be there every year or so, am just dying to learn about what I need to do to hunt there, but again, both my extended family, who I requested find out about opportunities (and came up with no answers), and I myself while there have been stymied at every single turn while searching for information. I checked several enormous bookstores, asked at several fishing/outdoor outfitter type places, and asked anyone who I thought might have an answer. Result was that I came up without so much as a sausage. Again, I *know* that folks hunt there, but it's still not clear to me if it's only for citizens and full-time residents/aliens.

So, can anyone here help me? I'd be grateful and much appreciate any responses/leads.

Cheers

I have no experience in this, but if I were in the same boat, I'd contact the people who run the Rod and Gun clubs on the various US military installations there. When I was on active duty, they had the lowdown on hunting on post, and probably know what you need to know to get started hunting on public land. They may be part of the system that runs the NCO and Officer's clubs, but an active-duty service member could tell you more.

Good luck. Okie John

I considered that and it's a good thought, as there are a bunch of bases there. I'll see if I get any joy trying that route from here stateside (heloooo, phone bill!)

Thanks much for the thought.

One problem could be that you're a gaijin (foreigner).

This is from a web site for teaching jobs:

-----------------------

COMMON CUSTOMS OF JAPAN

Prejudice

Japan is a very homogenous nation. In many areas foreigners are rarely seen. Although it is rare that the Japanese will treat you with any sort of maliciousness, be prepared for stares and unusual personal questions. Whether you are Chinese-American, African-American, Latino, Caucasian, or even Japanese-Canadian, you may encounter racial prejudice in Japan.

Be prepared to confront racial discrimination when looking for an apartment, especially if you are not Caucasian or if you are looking outside the larger metropolitan areas. You may be rejected without explanation—many Japanese landlords simply will not rent to gaijin.

Wherever you go in Japan, foreigners are subject to a different set of rules. Some Westerners who have been in Japan for years and speak the language fluently become extremely frustrated because they realize that they'll never be completely accepted into Japanese society. Most English teachers don't stay long enough to reach this point; for a relatively short-term stay it's best to keep in mind that the Japanese double standard is not entirely negative since you won't be expected to strictly conform to rigid Japanese social mores.

http://www.jobmonkey.com/teaching/asia/html/customs_in_japan.html
-----------------------

Two other good articles:

http://tokyo.metblogs.com/archives/2005/01/racism_in_japan.phtml

http://www.japantimes.co.jp/cgi-bin/getarticle.pl5?fl20041019zg.htm
-----------------------

-Bob F.

i'm wondering what game there is in JAPAN.......it is not a huge country and it seems to be really populated...........

Previously, I lived in Japan for several years. I am ethnically half Japanese. My wife is full Japanese, and remains a Japanese national. My brother currently lives in Japan. So, while I much appreciate the cultural lesson Bob, there aren't any blogs that are going to educate me on what it's like there more than what I have seen and lived...

Tasco: there are deer, wild boar and bear to be hunted. My brother in law's wife grew up on a farm and told me tales of villagers hunting all three regularly. In addition, there are two kinds of pheasant and Japan is said to be a waterfowler's paradise. I personally saw enough birds of various species to make me drool--falcated teal, pintails, redheads galore... The problem is that all people I met and asked were in Tokyo itself, and had zero clue *even themselves* that there is hunting, and indeed, firearm ownership in Japan.

And BTW, Japan is around the size of California, and most of it, geographically speaking and outside the major metropolises, is nor very highly nor densely populated. Think an island nation the size of CA isn't big enough to hold game? Well it is, and I'm here to tell you it very much does. I just have to figure out how to DO IT!

Thanks for the responses, and anyone else with any leads, please holler.

Kamo Gari (Japanese for duck hunter)

Following up:

Hunters’ delight: Host-nation clubs offer Americans a sporting chance


By Juliana Gittler, Stars and Stripes
Scene, September 5, 2004


IWAKUNI MARINE CORPS AIR STATION, Japan — With the promise of sport, potential income and a hearty wild boar soup to boot, hunters and sportsmen from Japan’s Iwakuni Marine Corps Air Station can join a hunting club that pursues boar, deer, fowl and even monkeys and crows.

All over the world, U.S. personnel can fire recreational weapons, with certain rules and restrictions. Hunting clubs and Rod and Gun clubs, on base and off, offer hunting as well as fishing, hiking and even barbecuing with pals.

Many host nation clubs allow U.S. personnel all that and the chance to meet host-nation outdoor enthusiasts.

“There’s a lot to do here if you get with the right people to do it,†said Bruce Riley, president of the Zama Sportsmen’s Club at the Camp Zama Army Post near Tokyo.



Japan

At Iwakuni, Americans participate in a local Japanese club. They hunt Russian boar, Shika deer, pheasant, ducks, partridges and other wild game.

“There’s never a dull moment,†said Iwakuni resident Mike Gingles, the American liaison to the club. “We go out and have a good time.â€

For boar hunts, Japanese members bring their hunting dogs for the chase, up and down hills and mountains in the region.

Besides the thrill of the hunt, participants can earn extra money from the meat they collect. The hunters share their catch after each hunt so everyone gets a portion of the kill.

“If you don’t want to eat your meat or take it home, you can sell it,†Gingles said.

Wild boar sells for 5,000 yen (about $45) a kilogram, he said. Nuisance animals, such as crows and monkeys, carry a bounty. Crows’ feet are worth about 500 yen (about $4.50) and a monkey tail about 15,000 yen (about $137).

Most members aren’t in it for the income.

Many of the 30 or so Japanese members are well-off retirees, politicians and businessmen. There currently are three Americans including Gingles.

But Americans certainly are welcome. Iwakuni’s police department brings in a translator for Americans so they can take the courses necessary for a license.

“We’ve got such a great relationship with them,†Gingles said.

Hunters take classes on gun regulations, safety and animal identification, then perform a skills test. Anyone who falls under the status of forces agreement can sign up.

The license cost is about 85,000 yen (about $775) and is good for three years. It’s one of the only places non-Japanese-speaking Americans can get a license, and servicemembers have traveled from as far as Okinawa to join and get their license, Gingles said.

He can help those interested in buying a gun, which is easy to get with a license.

“You can buy them here and ship them to the States. They’re cheap here,†he said.

Hunters must be 21 to shoot in Japan. There’s no experience necessary and women are welcome. Kids can join the club and go along to watch but the hunting usually involves climbing up and down steep hills.

The club offers participants some fun, and a chance to taste new game meat and enjoy the outdoors while meeting new people.

“You can get out and see the countryside [and] meet the Japanese people who share an interest in the outdoors.

You get to meet a lot of interesting people,†he said. “It’s fun. Everyone shares. Plus we barbecue some when we’re cleaning [the meat] up.â€

To learn more about the club, contact Gingles at DSN 253-5999, or 253-2112 after hours.

In Tokyo, where there aren’t many chances to hunt, servicemembers can join the Zama Sportsmen’s Club. The group runs the skeet range on post and hosts weekly shoots on Sundays. They also organize fishing trips, barbecues and camping.

The group has about 35 members and has been around for 30 years. It’s mostly Americans, from bases around the Kanto Plain, and includes women and men, Riley said.

People don’t have to be members to shoot skeet, but the club operates the skeet range on Sundays from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. near the driving range (which is closed at the time). The clubhouse is in building 1030 near Gate 7. Those interested should call ahead during the week to make sure the range will be staffed, Riley said.

The club has 12 shotguns. They provide a safety lecture for first-time visitors. The cost is $10 for a round of skeet plus a $1 cleanup fee.

Club leaders also hold turkey shoots several times a year where the “game†is a paper target.

“We give away turkeys and hams for prizes,†Riley said. They hold the shoot as part of an open house to introduce the community to the club and as a social function for members.

The club also organizes hiking and camping events and many fishing trips.

“I think the most popular thing is our fishing trips,†Riley said.

Club leaders also are planning a hunting and fishing day for children this fall sponsored by the Outdoor Recreation Department.

Club members have different interests — some just fish, other like shooting skeet. But the group has open houses and social gatherings to bring everyone together for fun.

The cost is $20 a year for a single membership. To learn about the club, contact Riley at 263-8851 or visit the Web site: www.kumakato.com/sportsmens club.

_____________________________________

Naturally, the link is dead. Although from the article it seems that Americans that are allowed to take the tests and hunt must be servicemen, which I'm not. Must...find...other..
angle...

Bowhunting, maybe?

sounds like fun KG.........Japanese bears?????? it seems like i remember something about phesants being brought here to the U.S. from the orient.............

As an aside, the Japanese dogs Shiba Inu were bred for hunting bear and boar in packs.

I know that bird hunting legally exists in west and northern Honshu, and Hokkaido. I read a food piece in one of the Japanese monthly's around '96 or '97 about a handful of French-trained Japanese chefs in Tokyo who hunted birds and prepared what they shot in classic French haute cuisine recipes. I recall woodcock in the photo spread.

If you're willing to do some investigative work, you might try calling Japanese/French chefs in Tokyo for leads. Look in the guide books like the Zagat Survey for phone numbers. There is a private group of guys there that were featured in the mag. You might start with Mikuni. Good luck.

Yep, bears be over there! I know they're diminutive, relatively speaking, but of late they sure have been active; I have several newspaper articles dealing with reports of growing concern with bears going for forays into 'suburban' areas, and causing much grief for the natives. I can't say as to whether they are indigeneous or not, but I'm certain they've been hunted in Japan for many, many years. As to the pheasant, my understanding is that the variety we have here in NA was brought from China, although I am sure that one of the species they chase there is called the 'copper pheasant'. So then I guess the obvious question becomes: if you shoot copper pheasant with lead 6s, does the shot retained within then become known as 'copper jacketed'?

How I slay myself sometimes!


Cheers

[QUOTE]Originally posted by WPN:
As an aside, the Japanese dogs Shiba Inu were bred for hunting bear and boar in packs.

That breed I'm not familiar with, but the now common Akita is said to be bred for bear hunting. Having known a few, I'd say the temperment, strength and size of them makes me not doubt it. BTW, 'Inu' simply means 'dog'.


French-trained Japanese chefs in Tokyo who hunted birds and prepared what they shot

Ah, pre-Iron Chef stuff.

If you're willing to do some investigative work,..

I am, and thanks for the additional brainstorm.

quote:

Ah, pre-Iron Chef stuff.

Not exactly. "Ryori no Tetsujin" first aired in 1993. I did the show in November 1996. Battle Apple.

I had a Shibu. They are fierce little dogs with great heart. A lot like Jack Russell's in that respect, but bigger. About 25lbs fully grown. They look a lot like small Akita's, but are rust-colored.

Here's a photo:

http://www3.sympatico.ca/shiba.inu/

Oh! Those, yes of course. They're ubiquitous over there as city pets. Sounds as if you've been to Japan. In Tokyo there's a popular meeting spot just outside Shibuya station that you may have seen; it's a bronze statue of a dog of lore named Hachiko. I forget the exact story, but Old Hachiko was and is revered for his tireless devotion and loyalty to his master. Anyway, I had no idea of the breed's hunting backround. Neat, and thanks for the link!

Battle apple, eh? Most Japanese TV is nothing short of painful, but those kooky cooking shows are one thing I can watch. Especially when they're featuring something I can relate to--like ducks!

I have a few messages left on the machines of several folks on bases there, and will post back any news, good or bad.

Cheers, and thanks again.

I was in Japan and did a little shooting and a day or two of boar hunting back in the early 60's. I went out hunting with a couple other service men near Atsuki. I don't remember if thats the right spelling. It was or is a Naval Air station. I spent several months there and loved it. The people were great and If I would have chosen to stay in the service, I would have put in for a six year streth there. Man that was a long time ago and memories sure fade. Even the best ones. There were a lot of hogs there and lots of some kind of deer. We rented rifles on the base.

quote:

Originally posted by Kamo Gari:
Previously, I lived in Japan for several years. I am ethnically half Japanese. My wife is full Japanese, and remains a Japanese national. My brother currently lives in Japan. So, while I much appreciate the cultural lesson Bob, there aren't any blogs that are going to educate me on what it's like there more than what I have seen and lived...
..........<snip>..........
Kamo Gari (Japanese for duck hunter)

Kamo Gari,

Sorry; no offense intended. I wasn't trying to be "preachy". I didn't know about your background. I just didn't know if you were aware of the "gaijin" issue when I posted my first reply. Obviously you do.

Sincerely,
-Bob F.

Ah, someone who actually has first hand experience! Seems like, however, that the common thread is active military serviceman who have done it. Hopefully, that's not the final word on the matter. Thanks, DR, for the added input. And BTW, you were close: it's Atsugi. In the 80s when I was there for the first time, I spent time at Yakota, Yokosuka, Zama, Atsugi and a couple other bases (my old man wasn't military, but we had base privileges since he was an embassy/DOD affiliated employee).

[QUOTE]Originally posted by BFaucett:

Sorry; no offense intended.

No need to apologize friend, and no offense taken whatsoever. Appreciate your trying to be helpful, and if I came off sounding like an ass, it wasn't intentional. But in truth I did smile wickedly as I posted my response..

quote:

Posted 05-04-05, 10:10

Naturally, the link is dead. Although from the article it seems that Americans that are allowed to take the tests and hunt must be servicemen, which I'm not. Must...find...other..angle...

Kamo, this version of the link works. Looks like there's affiliate memberships too.

Garry,

If you know (roughly) an area where you would like to hunt, why not contact the local Police HQ? I would assume they administer the permits required to hold a firearm and they enforce the local game laws...

Secondly, do the Japanese have any national shooting/hunting organisations you can contact?

Regards,

Pete

Wildlife Protection and Hunting Law (Law No.32 1918)

quote:

Any individual who intends to hunt must be granted an appropriate hunting license issued by the governor of the prefecture of his/her residence. In addition, he/she must register with the governors of the prefectures where he/she intends to hunt. The hunting license is valid for three years.

http://www.env.go.jp/en/jeg/biodiv/law.html

A bit on bear hunting in Japan (not a hunter friendly site, but info none the less):
http://www.alive-net.net/english/en-wildlife/bear/bear-maita.html

Field trials, upland... All Japan Hunting Club
http://www.zenryo.or.jp/

About getting a license.. for service personel
http://www.crowbusters.com/begart3.htm

375AI, I'd seen the other sites/articles before, and have read the regs regarding servicmen (they sure don't make it easy, do they?), but nothing yet I've read addressed *non-military* foreigners. I hadn't seen the All Japan Hunt Club link, though, and since there are contacts listed and the page seems to be active, hope it will prove to be very helpful in my finding an answer. I'll just have to wait for my wife to get back from NY to read the pages there, as most everything but the basic writing is all greek to me...

Pete, that's part of the problem--I don't know where one can even hunt what to begin with. But in some of the upland hunt links there are pictures of Mt. Fuji in the backround, and that's on the main island of Honshu, and a pretty easy shot on the Shinkansen (bullet train) from downtown Tokyo. Getting warmer!

Thanks to all.

quote:

Originally posted by Kamo Gari:
375AI, I'd seen the other sites/articles before, and have read the regs regarding servicmen (they sure don't make it easy, do they?), but nothing yet I've read addressed *non-military* foreigners. I hadn't seen the All Japan Hunt Club link, though, and since there are contacts listed and the page seems to be active, hope it will prove to be very helpful in my finding an answer. I'll just have to wait for my wife to get back from NY to read the pages there, as most everything but the basic writing is all greek to me...

Well, from the little I have found I have to agree. There seems to be a lot of tests. The range estimation test was a new one to me. Sounds almost like sniper school. The other thing was that different was about not being allowed to hunt with a rifle until you had been hunting with a shotgun for so many years.

Also found it interesting that they have 2 separate written tests. 1 for the laws, the other for game biology / identification. I think your japanese would have to be pretty good to make it through those.

I think that if you did the search in Japanese you might find more information. The google engine is only returning pages in english.

Though from what I could make out, the ALL Japan Hunting site seemed interesting. I guess field trials are big there as well. I just could not be clear that they were only talking about upland / waterfowl. I wonder if they also deal with hounds for bear hunting. From the few english language news stories I found, they seem to use hounds for the bear. Wonder if they use them for deer as well?

Well, you certainly have set a challenging objective for yourself. Hopefully, they have some form of relaxed rules for visiting hunters. If not, it may be a very long process. Good Luck!

Wouldn't the Northern Hokkaido Island be the best place to find hunting and game?

Secondly I would be surprised (maybe?) if it is easy to get access to firearms and hunting in Japan. Seeing the Japanese are the leading exponents of reducing trade in firearms and removing firearms from private ownership in the UN.

quote:

Originally posted by NitroX:
...
Secondly I would be surprised (maybe?) if it is easy to get access to firearms and hunting in Japan. Seeing the Japanese are the leading exponents of reducing trade in firearms and removing firearms from private ownership in the UN.

Well that is true. It is also true that they are one of the leading manufacturers of sporting arms. For example SKB, Miroku, etc.

From the little that I have been able to read in the past day or so, they are experiencing problems with maurading asiatic black bears. These bears are exhibiting all the behaviours that were found in Ontario after that disasterous band on bear hunting took place. That is the over population forces the bears to look in at garbage dumps, human habitation, roadside begging etc... Every time this occurs there are negative experiences and the bears end up being shot.

One Japanese account was a bit funny. The police had cornered a bear that was response for several attacks, but could not shoot. Apparently none of them had the correct hunting license for bear, so they had to release it.

Apparently the asiatic black bear is a bit more aggressive than the american black bear??

But again, from the little I can make out, you are correct. They make firearm ownership a real set of hurdles.

Kamo,

If your still reading this. I finally woke up and started using the translation feature on google. It was able to translate most of the pages on the All Japan Hunting site. Not that the translation made a lot of sense. But they seem devoted to upland and waterfowl. Sounds like a group of field trialers here in the states. A lot of the site seems to be spent on explaining why they hunt and making apologies of a sort....

A real set of hurdles is right. I'd just go to a noodle shop and forget it.

Originally posted by 375 AI:

"The other thing was that different was about not being allowed to hunt with a rifle until you had been hunting with a shotgun for so many years."

Yes; TEN YEARS!

"I think your japanese would have to be pretty good to make it through those."

There is at least one place I have read that offers translators during training. My day-to- day conversational Japanese is poor to just fair, and if there's to be any joy for me, I'd need to have a assigned translator or get someone to allow my wife to translate both written and spoken testing for me (she does this professionally, actually).

"Though from what I could make out, the ALL Japan Hunting site seemed interesting. "

Well, having had the wife go over it with me, discovered that it's almost all dedicated to the admin facts of the organization, its convincing others of its legality, and coming damn close to apologizing to the general public for their partcipation. And get this: it's an "All Japan" hunting club, right? It's active membership is some 56 people. Out of 150-odd milllion, it's got friggin' 56 members! Sad. But I have read that there are some half million licenced firearms (vast majority shotties) in the country, so maybe it's just that this particular group (which meets in Tokyo, right down the street from where my wife's Grandma lives and where we stayed) is more formally organized and that many others exist with no web presence.

"Well, you certainly have set a challenging objective for yourself."

Unfortunately, yes. But I'm not yet hardly swayed. I've fished there quite a bit, and spent a good deal of time outdoors. Gorgeous, rugged terrain with pretty damn vast areas of little to no habiation. Just dying to hunt it some day. I'll get the definfitive answer soon and pass it on. I said it before, but thanks again to folks' suggestions here; been very helpful. And funny. Just get the noodles indeed!

I have spent some time in Japan; been all over the country.

It struck me while I was flying on domestic airlines that the entire population seems to live in lowlands; the mountains look like wilderness.

quote:

Originally posted by Kamo Gari:

Unfortunately, yes. But I'm not yet hardly swayed. I've fished there quite a bit, and spent a good deal of time outdoors. Gorgeous, rugged terrain with pretty damn vast areas of little to no habiation. Just dying to hunt it some day. I'll get the definfitive answer soon and pass it on. I said it before, but thanks again to folks' suggestions here; been very helpful. And funny. Just get the noodles indeed!

Good luck and hope you make it. Don't eat the noodles.

I wouldn't waste my time with the Japanese. Go on to China for blue sheep or Mongolia. Japs are more hassle than 3rd world people.

And there you have it: proof positive that some folks will never get beyond their ignorance, and will stop at almost nothing in the process of making an ass of themselves.

Thanks for nothing.

That is an uncalled for remark. No one is interested in your prejudices.

kamo gari...I hunted in japan for 3 years while I was stationed there. However i was in the northern part of japan..the aomori prefecture. To hunt in japan you needed to get a blue book. It took 80,000 yen (about $800) and one weekend in august to do it. You also needed to have a hunting permit which took another 40,000 yen (about $400). Hunting there was great not many japanese hunted so you really did have most of the prefecture to yourself. They have deer (sika) in Hokkaido we usually made a couple of trips there every season. Very liberal limits there..the section we hunted in was unlimited deer. They also had bear, pheasent, dove, more ducks than you've ever seen anywhere, crows (which carried a $5 bounty on them in the spring) fox and plenty other animals. Let me know if you have any questions..I have tons of pictures..I even have the some of the study material for the tests.

quote:

Originally posted by Pete E:
Secondly, do the Japanese have any national shooting/hunting organisations you can contact?

http://www.riflesports.jp/index.php

Carcano

no they do not have any organizations...they do have the local hunt clubs..but unless you know who's hunting and how to speak japanese. you probably won't even know when or where they're meeting. The best way is to get in touch with either the local guy who sells guns in town or the local police and ask them

quote:

Originally posted by Pete E:
Secondly, do the Japanese have any national (...) hunting organisations you can contact?

JHA

Carcano

quote:

Originally posted by loadin2:
kamo gari...I hunted in japan for 3 years while I was stationed there. However i was in the northern part of japan..the aomori prefecture. To hunt in japan you needed to get a blue book. It took 80,000 yen (about $800) and one weekend in august to do it. You also needed to have a hunting permit which took another 40,000 yen (about $400). Hunting there was great not many japanese hunted so you really did have most of the prefecture to yourself. They have deer (sika) in Hokkaido we usually made a couple of trips there every season. Very liberal limits there..the section we hunted in was unlimited deer. They also had bear, pheasent, dove, more ducks than you've ever seen anywhere, crows (which carried a $5 bounty on them in the spring) fox and plenty other animals. Let me know if you have any questions..I have tons of pictures..I even have the some of the study material for the tests.

This is very helpful stuff, L2, and I very much appreciate the help. I do indeed have some questions regarding bbtaining the 'blue book' you refer to: the first and most important question I have is, do you know if *non-military*, non-residents can even obtain one?

I too have read and heard of the fantastic hunting opportunities there, and have seen some of the game, but every single person I have written to or read stuff from was active military,stationed in Japan. If the answer to that question is 'no', then all this is moot. That said, I'd love to hear more about it, and see any of your pictures. I love Japan as it is, but would love it even more if I could hunt it! The classes and the licensing stuff are hurdles I'd endure with no trouble at all, as I have family there and will be back every year. If this turns out to be possible, maybe I can pick your brain about areas to try. The deer, boar and bear greatly interest me, as do both the waterfowl and pheasant. And at 5 bucks a pop, I just may be convinced to do some bounty huntin' for crows as well...

I have tried now several times to get a hold of contacts in Japan, but my messages left on base with hunting club organizers haven't borne any fruit as yet. I'll keep trying, though, as I'm really determined to do this if humanly possible.

Best regards, and thanks again to both you, carcano and all others who have lent a hand.

kamo gari- yes non military personel can hunt too..we hunted with an older american fellow that had no affiliation with the base at all. getting the Blue book was fairly difficult. There is only one time a year that all this happens with both the hunting permit and the blue book so if you miss it you have to wait until next year. The blue book is a small blue book that allows you to transport weapons and ammunition in and around japan. To get it you have to contact the local japanese police force and see when the next class will be..ours was in august..then you'll be given a book of firearm rules that you really need to study because on said day you will take a test on that knowledge. Stuff like how many kilograms of gunpowder can you have at your house at a time or how to cross a road with a firearm. Then you will go to the local skeet range and you have to break 2 skeet targets out of 25 to prove that you are not going to wound animals. After that you can pick up your blue book from the police station in about 3 days. Once thats done you then have to register the firearms that you will be hunting with on the book. that costs 5000 yen a gun. They measure the barrel length, overall length, bore size, color, everything. let me know if you have any more questions.

oh if you think the crow bounty if tempting try 700 yen for cats and 3500 for dogs..since you can basically hunt year round there during the spring and summer months they have whats called special season thats when you collect on all these bounties.

L2,

again, big thanks for 'keeping the dream alive'.

Just got off the phone with my wife, who is currently back in Tokyo on bidness, and spent some time for me asking about the bluebook at a local prefectural goobermint office. She got no joy there at all; not a single person had even the slightest idea about the 'bluebook' you refer to. I'm sending her to the local koban, and maybe they'll know *something*. Perhaps the problem is that we've been asking in and about downtown Tokyo...

Say, is the 'bluebook' you refer to offered in english (one would think so)? Hope so.

Now, one of the things that I'm not sure about is this: I won't be living in Japan ever, just visiting. I wonder what issues/problems and restrictions I might run into there. We do stay at a family residence, but I'm not sure it's likely that I can just leave a shotty in Grandma's house. Maybe I could if I bought a safe and kept it there? I dunno'. So many issues.

At any rate, please know I truly appreciate the help, and am still keeping the faith that I one day can hunt where my ancestors once did (though I am making an assumption here--my people were originally out of Amakusa, and maybe only farmers and fishermen ) .

Best,

KG

No you cannot leave a shotgun at their house each gun that leaves a gun store there has to be registered to someone and that someone has to have a bluebook or else it always stays at the gun shop. In fact that might be a better option there for you is to get in good with the local gun store guy there and see if you couldn't leave a gun there with him..then when you return pick it up since you would have a blue book and go hunting. might be wortha try. You're wife's having problems because she's in a giant city where i'm almost certain no one hunts or uses guns except the police. Might have her try going to one of the surrounding towns there around toyko. Plus she has to go to a police station not the government buildings they have no clue whats going on. The bluebook test for us english speaking folks was offered in english. but the actual bluebook is in 100% japanese. If you know a little bit though you can pretty much figure it out.

My wife is Japanese and I go there every summer. I too was curious about the hunting opportunities. I met a man who runs an archery shop in Tokyo. He told me you had to be at least 40 years old and ex military or police to qualify for a license. He himself hunted deer in Hokkaido and said that antihunters were constantly in the field trying to scare game. Apparently there is strong opposition towards hunters in Japan. Rather ironic that a country that still kills whales would not let you harvest a deer. I can certainly understand you wanting to hunt Japan, but with all the opportunities here in the U.S. and the rest of the world, why bother?