Pumpkins 3

Pear Pumpkin

11" Diam X 12.5" Tall

Pumpkins 2

12" Diam X 9" Tall

Pumpkins

Sometime in the mid-90s these strange floats began showing up on Sea of Japan beaches in mainland, Japan. A year or so later they started washing up on the beaches of the Pacific coast of Japan and finally several years began showing themselves to beachcombers on northwest United States beaches.


100% not Japanese, history and location of manufacture is pure speculation. Due to the fact that they have not been found in Taiwan, China, South Korea or Russian ports from beachcombers there, process of elimination, and found mainly on the Sea of Japan coast in Japan, speculation is that they may be from North Korea.


This particular style float was so nicknamed due to it being similar in shape to garden pumpkins. These unusual floats are characteristically out-of-round with huge, protruding sealing buttons. Most have several crude glass patches with ribbed surfaces attached to the side for which the purpose is unknown. Much more colorful than typical Japanese floats, the floats span the color spectrum from jet black to clear. Sizes range from 7" to 18."


The float in the above photo is the cornerstone of my pumpkin collection. It was acquired from a great guy in northern Japan, Brad Blanke. 9" in diameter and a full, rich cobalt blue it is almost purple in appearance.

Japanese Glass Floats....A Start

After much procrastination I have finally started this blog. My goal is to share some of the info I have learned about Japanese glass fishing net floats. I will attempt to showcase the many different floats I have collected over the years along with other interesting information.

My disclaimer is I am no expert. I will only offer my opinions and some facts based on the collection and research I have done over the past 15 years of collecting floats from where they originated, Japan.