
Need to get up with the chickens? Leave it to the men who’re already awake and hauling in fish.
By this point, you’d think that technology would have advanced to the point where oversleeping is no longer problem for anyone in society. Between smartphone alarm settings, vibrating earphones to rouse you from slumber, and alarm clocks meant to bring you out of sleep with nostalgic memories of childhood, hopping out of bed at the necessary time should be a snap, right?
All of those methods are missing something, though: the human element. When you’re dealing with a machine, it’s all too easy to hit the snooze button or flip the off switch, then accidentally oversleep.
So what you really need is someone to wake you up, no matter how early you need to get out of bed. And you know who absolutely is going to be up before you, and thus in a position to do the job? A professional fisherman.
▼ “While you’re still dreaming, the fishermen’s battle has already begun.”
The just-launched Fisherman Call is billed as “The world’s first wake-up call service by fishermen.” On the service’s website, you’ll find a list of available fishermen, along with their photos, voice samples, and schedules, which have some of them getting up at 2 in the morning to make their way to the harbor and head for open water.
That crack-of-dawn schedule is key, because as shown in the Fisherman Call promotional video, the wake-up messages aren’t pre-recorded. The fishermen will actually be calling and talking to you live, quite possibly from the deck of their vessels.
“Good morning! Are you up?” asks the fisherman in the video, to which the user replies “Yes, thanks to you. Are you on your ship?” “Yeah, I got up at 3, so I’m already on the sea,” he replies, before adding “I caught a really big fish.”
Ironically for service with a nautical theme, the Fisherman Call website is a little hard to navigate. Stylized to look like a smartphone even when accessing it with a PC, you’ll need to place your cursor over the image shown on the on-screen “phone,” then scroll or drag down. Eventually you’ll come to the fisherman, and when you’ve picked out who you want a wakeup call from, you’ll need to check the box agreeing to the terms and click the “この漁師に起こしてもらう!” (“Have this fisherman wake me up!”) button.
From there, you’ll be taken to a request form in which to enter the hoped-for date and time of your call as well as your phone number. The form also says “If you’ve been having any worries, please tell us,” implying that if you’ve got something weighing on your spirit, the fishermen might give you some sea-sourced advice on how to deal with it.
The Fisherman Call website can be found here, and now has us wondering how the fishermen themselves manage to get up so early.
Related: Fisherman Call official website
Top image: Fisherman Call
Insert images: YouTube/FISHERMAN JAPAN, Fisherman Call
[ Read in Japanese ]
Odds are you’ll be up before Casey, but you can follow him on Twitter anyway.




Japanese “mommy” team gives wake-up calls to adults so they won’t be late for work【Video】
Have trouble waking up on time? New Japanese app Mezamee will charge you when you sleep in
Picking seaweed up off the beach and taking it home is illegal in most of Japan, and here’s why
Start your day with a wake up call from Re:Zero’s Emilia or Rem!
Otaku parenting: Loving mom shocks daughter out of bed cosplay-style
Starbucks Japan unveils new coffee drinks… for people who don’t drink coffee
Starbucks Japan releases first-ever gacha capsule toys, featuring iconic menu items as plush coffee charms
Sanrio’s newest item looks like dog butt, exactly like it’s supposed to [Photos]
Kumamoto Castle left illuminated all night long as symbol of hope for earthquake victims
Kyoto receives more foreign tourists than ever before, but fewer visitors say they’ll return
Katana of one of Japan’s most famous swordsmen goes on display to help Kumamoto earthquake victims
Foreign tourists in Japan eat far more rice than previously thought, according to new data
Starbucks Japan unveils exclusive new Frappuccinos limited to three regional areas
JR releases prediction of peak Shinkansen crowdedness for Japan’s Obon travel season
Cup Noodle unveils first-ever cold-water instant ramen in Japan
Tokyo subway installing new ticket gates that don’t accept payment through Suica or other IC cards
Japanese Shinkansen becomes an overnight hotel for three nights this summer
New Shinkansen luggage drop-off system begins in Japan, making train travel even easier
99-year-old woman rescued while attempting to climb Mt. Fuji
Which country’s foreign tourists spend the most money per-person in Japan? Hint: Not the U..S. or China
Starbucks Japan releases a miniature display rack so you can create your very own store at home
Giant Evangelion Spear of Longinus to be installed at Japanese train station with Eva art trains
Face lettuce appears in Japan, with the face of Death Note’s Light Yagami, but why?
Kodama Shinkansen trains on popular Japan route get a whole new look this winter
Pokémon Card Stores requiring facial recognition scans for entry in Japan in latest anti-scalper move
Studio Ghibli has a new anime out, and there’s only one place in the world where you can see it
Salomon releases Japan-exclusive Mt. Fuji hiking gear that doubles as an amazing souvenir
Japan now has human refrigerators inspired by Japanese vending machines
Hatsune Miku collaborates with Hokusai’s art in new Vocaloid ukiyo-e illustration series [Pics]
Japan triples departure tax, foreign tourists and locals now must pay more to leave country
Studio Ghibli releases anime T-shirts that pay homage to one of Hayao Miyazaki’s most personal films
Family Mart opens new “Famima” flagship store in Tokyo that’s like a tourist attraction
Uniqlo looks back to the very start of Pokémon with new black-and-white pixel art T-shirts[Pics]
Japan announces sudden 400-percent increase in visa fees for foreigners entering the country
Japan’s human washing machines will go on sale to general public, demos to be held in Tokyo
Starbucks Japan releases new drinkware and goods for Valentine’s Day
Starbucks Japan releases new sakura goods and drinkware for cherry blossom season 2026
Japan’s newest Shinkansen has no seats…or passengers [Video]
Japanese ninja certification exam attracts 131 candidates from Japan and abroad
Put sesame oil in your coffee? Japanese maker says it’s the best way to start your day【Taste test】
Under Its au Brand, Japanese Cellular Service Provider KDDI Unveils World’s Largest and Highest Resolution Smartphone
Japanese genius invents a machine just to help you get out of unwanted video chats【Video】
Japan’s new fruit sandwiches turn the concept inside-out, we make them even better【SoraKitchen】