Forget Shohei Ohtani’s rookie card. Shirtless fishermen have become the latest hot item driving the trading card-collecting scene in Japan.

Hitomi Nakayama, who lives in Aomori, has now collected more than 50 of these trading cards, with her favorite being an expert at catching hotate scallops from the northern town of Hiranai.

“A fisherman wearing nothing but an apron by itself is funny,” said Nakayama, 42.

Nakayama said she embarked on her new hobby during the COVID-19 pandemic, when non-essential outings were discouraged.

Showing her collection off to other collectors on social media proved fun, she said.

“It picked up steam when we were at rock bottom with no positive topics to talk about,” she said.

The sexy fisherman-card boom actually started before the pandemic began, though.

Popular trading cards typically feature characters from anime, such as Yu-Gi-Oh!, Pokemon and One Piece, and people collect them and play games with them.

That led Aomori prefectural officials to wonder, why not our local fishermen, too? They put their plan into action and the cards quickly became a hit on social media.

Some 150 fishermen in the northernmost prefecture on Japan’s main Honshu island posed for pictures wearing nothing but their waders, showing off their rugged physiques while smiling.

Each card features the fisherman’s name with a map of the prefecture showing where he is based.

The cards were handed out at local events with consumers being encouraged to find their favorite fisherman.

Prefectural officials believed it would spark an interest in local fishery products.

And it works. Nakayama said looking at the cards made her curious about the different types of fish and shellfish they catch.

Soon after the cards started trending, others started coming to fishery product-related events to collect the cards.

FARMERS JOIN BANDWAGON

Not to be outdone by Aomori fishermen, farmers decided to create trading cards of their own.

After he learned about the cards, Hiroyasu Ogawa, a 32-year-old grape tomato grower in Tahara, Aichi Prefecture, tweeted, “I want to do this.”

Two farmers in their 30s--one in Hokkaido and the other in Gifu Prefecture--immediately responded.

The idea of “agriculture trading cards” spread on social media and farmers all around Japan raised their hands to be featured.

Along with the farmer’s headshot, a card also includes information about their whereabouts and what they grow.

Consumers who purchase products from these farmers receive a card along with the produce.

Ogawa promotes the cards on social media and often picks up “a card ‘in season.’”

So far, about 170 farmers in 45 prefectures, from Okinawa to Hokkaido, have participated. They are mostly young farmers like Ogawa.

Ogawa said he and fellow farmers in his generation grew up playing with trading cards.

“So, for us to be the main feature of a trading card is amazing,” he said.

Ogawa said one of the merits of the cards for the farmers is that it allows them to have a “direct connection with consumers around the country.”

As fewer and fewer young people want to take over their family farming business, getting to know other young active farmers is inspiring and motivating, he said.

TRADING CARD ‘CIVIL WAR’

The success of the fishermen and farmer trading cards has spawned an increasing number of copycats from other business communities.

Shintomi, a town in central Miyazaki Prefecture, created a collection of cards featuring local restaurant owners in spring 2021.

The cards feature owners striking a pose and a catchy phrase describing their business, such as “Master of sushi” and “Legendary eel.”

The cards also include fun facts about the owners.

“A macho guy who blushes easily,” one such description reads.

In Nikko, Tochigi Prefecture, a set of trading cards featuring tour guides has been made available.

A favorite of tourists, the “snow monkeys” at the Takasakiyama Natural Zoo in Oita, now too have their own trading cards.

A local publication company came up with the idea and started selling the cards in spring 2021.

The cards feature their names and rankings, as well as their “monkey points.”

Each monkey is graded on their attack ability, cleverness and popularity, among other traits.

For example, one male boss monkey got 100 points in charisma, but he was ousted from the troop over a relationship problem, so he only scored 40 points in cleverness.

A female monkey who has the same name as the British Princess Charlotte of Wales scored 100 points in popularity.

The cards are sold at the park and online.

Yosuke Miyazaki, 44, who works for the publisher, said the cards have helped to boost the local economy. Some people come to the park just to get the cards.

An employee of the Aomori prefectural government who started the trend claimed a triumphant victory.

“Now there are too many cards. This is like the age of trading card civil wars.”

(This article was written by Daichi Itakura and Koki Furuhata.)