My encounter with Masami "Tenkara-no Oni" Sakakibara (Part 1)

I originally had the project to enjoy my stay in Takayama to go fishing on the Miyagawa but unfortunately this was a project failed because of strong thunderstorms that night had given the river an opaque grey stain. So I took advantage of these three days to visit the city and once again I had the chance to host a Japanese family with the opportunity to live in the historic center of the city, just a few meters to the Higashiyama walking course.

If you visit one day Japan I invite you to visit this city that will give you a very good overview of not only the rich culture of Japan but also of provincial life that is very different from what you might experiment in Tokyo or even Kyoto . Everything here is much quieter and serene than in big cities. Do not be surprised if walking through a residential area you see a man wearing a samue and sugegasa working in the rice field adjacent to his house. 

I devoted my days and visit the old town still making a few detours to go watch the river that was still greyish and spent the evenings with the Shimizu family. Although I have not had the opportunity to fish in this river where was born the famous Takayama sakasa kebari this stay in this beautiful city will remain an everlasting memory of my stay in Japan.

After a little more than three hours by train I arrived in Kakegawa, where I was greeted by Masami Sakakibara and his wife Coco. After nearly three years of contact only on the internet I was finally in the presence of the person by whom I discovered tenkara. His blog is definitely from that day my biggest inspiration and I would not even remotely consider going to Japan without meeting him. 

We had dinner in a restaurant whose food was delicious and the owner seemed a bit eccentric who seemed not to believe to have a French visitor! Masami-san and Coco are wonderful people who know how to put you at ease immediately and this first contact was very positive. As it was often the case during my stay strong stormy rain did on us while we were strolling in the city which gave us the opportunity to go home and watch DVDs among others devoted to tenkara. Thanks Masami-san for sharing with me these documentaries and answering my questions.

The next day I will know the house's cats trio while Masami-san was interested very closely to weather forecasts that were not really good, the least one could say, since a typhoon was announced to strike the area where he had planned to go fishing. Masami-san will decide to postpone the date of this fishing trip. 

When the rain finally stopped, we take the opportunity to visit the city and its beautiful castle. We will also visited an antique shop and the one of a manufacturer of samurai armor. For me who has been interested for a long time in history, civilization and culture of Japan this afternoon was really excellent.

The sky remained overcast all day but when Masami-san suggested me a casting session I accepted willingly and the fine drizzle that was falling from the sky was quickly forgotten. Who better than the man who designed some of the best rods in the world can provide you the better information on tenkara rods and lines?

I had the opportunity of a presentation on the rods and lines and the best possible combinations and then we started the  casting session and I must say that if  Masami-san's casting  is already impressive on a video that is really nothing compared to a live demo. Incredibly accurate. 

Masami-san is a very good teacher, he immediately identifies small defects in your casting and explains you clearly how to correct these defects. After making me try many rod/line combinations he did seem satisfied with my casting so he and myself were going back home. I had the pleasure and privilege to see him tie his kebari in front of me and then followed a very interesting conversation about that topic. Is it a coincidence that the greatest tenkara anglers, those who like Masami-san developed their own technique, evolved over time towards greater simplicity? Surely not.

Outside we heard a very strong wind and heavy rain, the typhoon was passing over the city. 

HAIN CREEK TENKARA

I have often driven along the Hain creek but never had time to fish it and the only angler I saw there was a blue heron. Good sign or bad omen? Th best way to answer this question was to go there with a rod in hand.
I did arrive at 11:30 a.m, the sun was bright but a strong wind was dramatically cooling the atmosphere, it was rally colder than during the week.

I walked down the stream about third a mile to each a very open area with almost no trees on the banks.
This stream is about three feet wide and one foot deep. The water is quite clear for the season and very cold.
But the important question of the day is: Are there trouts in this stream? Yes, sir, there are some!
I did fish with my yellow Takayama and I think that I managed not too bad but with a less powerful wind my casting would have been more precise and efficient.

On this lower part of the stream I did catch numerous tiny trouts in the faster parts but not a single one in basins or pools. Many fishes came to see the fly but turned around very fast. Not big but not naive!
All in all it is a good thing for this small stream to shelter a high density of juvenile trouts.

Without noticing it did take me about three hours to fish this portion of the stream and come back to my starting point.
It was time for lunch break and I needed to put a jacket. The wind had not subsided and the temperature had dropped; if my memories are exact the weather forecast of this morning said " almost summer"!

I cross the road and head to a less accessible and more brushy part of the stream ans as I arrive on the bank I decide to only cast crossbow style...And this idea was good.

This small stream is definitely full of small trouts. In this part I also have seen many of them charge on the fly and turning around at the last second. That is probably because they can see me but it is not possible to change the way I am placed. I will catch the biggest of the day at my last cast.

It was a plan of mine for this trout season to fish unknown streams and I think it was a good idea because it puts me in a good mood and motivates me to find my Tenkara.