Takuya Hikita
At an early age of 4, I learned how to fish from my dad, who was born and raised in Numazu, Shizuoka. There, I had a fateful encounter with a fish called 'Nembutsu-dai' which changed my life forever. Up until then, I was scared by the sight of fish and didn't even want to touch them, let alone see them as food.
However, after going through this humbling experience of catching a fish myself, I began to appreciate the fact that every one of them had a unique character and liveliness—this is where I started to develop a profound interest in the existence of fish.
To follow my passions, I received my boating license at the age of 15, and I decided to major in marine biology at university. In collaboration with local fishermen from Shizuoka, I researched how the environmental impacts of their fishing activities can be reduced by developing new sustainability frameworks.
After graduation, I worked at Tsukiji Market as an auctioneer of high-end fish for 10 years. And in 2018, I moved to Vancouver because I saw untapped potential in BC's beautiful shorelines. There are so many more varieties of seafood in BC, but the only ones people pay attention to and try to catch are the likes of salmon, tuna, halibut, etc. My goal is to diversify BC's local seafood industry by developing new sustainable species, so that one day we can see even more types of fish in our local grocery stores.
Fish Meister (License No.000157)
About us;https://tsukiji-fish-market.com/
疋田 拓也(Takuya Hikita)
4歳の頃、静岡沼津出身の父親から釣りを習い、運命の魚(ネンブツダイ)と出会う。実は魚が気持ち悪く、それまで食べることは勿論、触ることすら出来なかったが、自ら釣った魚とふれあい、そして「命をいただきます」の精神で初めて魚を口にしたことで、魚という存在に強い興味を持つ。15歳で小型船舶操縦士免許4級(現2級)を取得、18歳で1級を取得した。
大学では海洋学・海洋生物学を専攻し、静岡の漁師と協力して漁業の環境負荷を軽減するための研究を行った。また在学中、宅地建物取引士・管理業務主任者のライセンスを取得し、異なる領域への知識も深める。
卒業後、築地魚市場にてセリ人として勤務しながら、Fishマイスターの資格を取得、小中学校での食育授業や服部栄養専門学校や水産庁での漁業振興など、各方面に向けて啓蒙活動を行った。また社内における昇進に伴い、会社運営を考える機会が増える。それを受けて、簿記・ファイナンシャルプランナーを在籍中に学習・取得し、10年勤務した後、2018年にバンクーバーに「TSUKIJI FISH MARKET Inc.」を独立設立する。
現在、貿易業務の傍ら、バンクーバー沖での水産資源の開発に注力している。また、日本カナダ商工会議所にて理事(副会長)を務め、コミュニティ運営や若手育成のメンター的教育活動にも力を入れている。
After moving to Vancouver
Takuya encountered a food problem
He couldn't find the type of sashimi that he was looking for anywhere, so he asked his industry contacts in Japan to send him some fresh fish. Not long after, he found out that his friends in Vancouver absolutely loved it, and they would always ask him to order extra! Realizing that he could grow this idea to share his favourite fish with other seafood lovers in Vancouver, Takuya set out on a mission to build Tsukiji Fish Market Inc. and Orizumé Sushi. To learn more about the various types of seasonal fish and Takuya's story, you can check out his YouTube channel!
Orizumé Sushi
Takuya co-founded Orizumé with master sushi chef Hiro to bring a new style of sushi to Vancouver. His philosophy is to make the most of each season's unique ingredients ('shun no sakana') and to present fish to you when they are at their highest quality. Because of this firm belief in perfection, the number of boxes made each day is strictly limited, so that every box will get the care that each fish deserves. For example, some fish are best eaten immediately, while others are best after being matured ('jukusei') or cured in konbu ('konbujime'). Blending traditional Edomae techniques with culinary creativity, every piece is delicately crafted with chef Hiroshi's care and passion.
魚をどのように処理すれば一番美味しく食べられるか、その日食べた方が美味しい魚もあれば、少し熟成させて食べた方が良い魚もあります。メニューを完全に決めてしまうのではなく、柔軟的に寿司ネタを変え、今日一番の「一期一会」と「温故知新」を提供致します。「信念」をもって、魚に取り組む「真摯な姿勢」、それを大切にしております。