Fishing Trip, Networking Party, and Study Session with IDEA Consultants, Inc. (Oct. 18-19, 2026)

Over two days on October 18 and 19, 2026, we held a fishing trip, networking party, and study session with members of IDEA Consultants, Inc., with whom we are conducting joint research.

October 18: Fishing and Networking Party

In the morning, we set sail from Kure Marine, and under Professor Uchida’s steering, our Tai-Raba (red snapper rubber jigging) fishing began. Participants included Mr. Aoki, Mr. Tanabe, and Mr. Toyoshima from IDEA Consultants, Inc., as well as Professor Tatsuhiko Uchida, Assistant Professor Takashi Inoue, D1 Ito, and B4 Onodera from Hiroshima University. Mr. Aoki and I (Onodera) were fishing for the first time and felt a bit nervous from the start (lol).

At first, no one was getting any bites, and we struggled quite a bit. Finally, the very first person to catch a fish was, surprisingly, the beginner, myself (Onodera). I was completely caught off guard as I hadn’t expected a hit at all. After that, I got a second bite as well. I was truly lucky. Next, Professor Uchida caught one too. Just when I thought my lucky streak was over, I got a tremendous pull. At first, I thought my line had snagged on the bottom, but I actually managed to catch a daggertooth pike conger (hamo)!

Talk about beginner’s luck (lol). Scoring a hat trick guaranteed it was going to be an amazing day. From there, we passed under the Ondo Bridge, changed locations, and entered overtime. A rush ensued as Mr. Aoki, Mr. Toyoshima, and Assistant Professor Takashi Inoue caught fish one after another.

In the final 15 minutes, Mr. Ito, who was on a losing streak, was almost ready to give up, doubting his own fishing sense. However, at the very end, he got a bite. Ultimately, he caught the biggest red snapper of the day, finishing with a spectacular flourish.

Our total catch was 10 red snappers and 1 daggertooth pike conger.

As we finished fishing and approached Hiroshima University, we got stuck in traffic due to an accident (cry). Although we were a little behind schedule, we managed to safely start the networking party just after 6:00 PM at MIRAI CREA. Mr. Mochizuki from IDEA Consultants, Inc. also joined us here. The red snapper sashimi and the daggertooth pike conger hot pot were absolutely delicious!

October 19: Study Session

Starting at 8:45 AM, a study session was held with the entire laboratory, including the 3rd-year students currently participating in the social infrastructure seminar. In the morning, Mr. Aoki, Mr. Mochizuki, and Mr. Toyoshima presented on behalf of IDEA Consultants, Inc., while Mr. Ito, Mr. Matsumoto, Mr. Nagatsu, and Franz from Hiroshima University shared their current work. I heard there were specific meetings regarding the joint research in the afternoon.

It was fun and highly educational to interact with various people. It makes me even more motivated for my own research. I have high expectations for the next opportunity as well. I would like to conclude this report by expressing my gratitude to everyone involved in this event.

Written by: Onodera