Japan Kebari: Masami "Tenkara-no Oni" Sakakibara

It is rare to have the opportunity to meet the people who inspire us and thanks to whom we have developed a passion for something but I am gifted to have the pleasure to go fishing with the man who made me discover tenkara: Masami Sakakibara. 

With his thirty five years experience in the field of tenkara Masami Sakakibara's style is the perfect illustration of the highest skilled master. Faithful to the basic principle of tenkara "A rod, a line, a fly"

he has developed his technique instead of carrying a lot of tackle. Oni tenkara is not only simple but also very efficient and it is explicit when one sees his kebari and thinks a little about it. I think that the Tenkara-no Oni style of fly tying can be resumed by a simple motto: "design matches function".

This kebari tied by Masami-san is probably his most famous pattern. He is used to name his patterns from the materials used, in this case "Oni black pheasant kebari". What has in first place made this kebari famous among western tenkara anglers is its size as Masami-san ties it on hooks up to size 2. But function dictates design and size and this kebari is designed to be used in the sasoi technique.

Masami-san uses Tiemco "pellet dubbing", which is a natural substitute for seal fur, for the body of this kebari; a hen pheasant feather on a Gamakatsu S10 hook.

The next kebari is Masami-san's interpretation of a Mayfly, a huge ephemera, it is realistic by its size but impressionistic by its design.  I think that this describes very well Tenkara-no Oni style of fly-tying.

The body is made of polypropylene yarn and that is a good product if one wants low floatation kebari. The hackle will give the illusion of life to this kebari when on the water surface. 

If fishing big streams with long level lines has become a kind of hallmark of Tenkara-no Oni style he is also a very experienced and skilled small streams tenkara angler as I got to realize during my stay with the Team Oni in the mountains. 

To fish in shallow mountain streams small sized , in relation with the observable small insects, and light kebari are needed to obtain natural drifts. Masami-san is accosumated to tie his small sized kebari on Tiemco 2499-SP BL hooks that as he says have great features for small streams tenkara fishing: short shank, wide gap and laser sharp point. 

Masami Sakakibara's experience shows that it is possible to practice successful tenkara fishing on any water with his "simple" kebari because he has developed his technique on rational analysis of his fishing and fish behavior. 

Masami-san has developed over the years a tenkara fishing system that is not only simple but also very effective. I would even personally say that the Oni tenkara style has become so effective because it has been kept simple throughout the years. While fishing with him in the mountains I understood why his nickname is "Tenkara-no Oni", the Tenkara demon. As he says himself: "A tenkara angler must be one with the stream". 

If you want to learn more about Masami Sakakibara and the Oni tenkara style I invite you to check his awesome blog. 

GUEST POST: OCTOBER 1 BY TOM DAVIS

The trout season is finished so now I only can get prepared for 2015 and perhaps do a few outings in local ponds.
Some of us are lucky enough to live in areas where regulations and climate allow year round fishing, Tom Davis is one of them and we are lucky that he edits an excellent blog on which one can read very interesting reviews and watch very nice Tenkara videos like this one.

FINAL STRETCH OF THE 2014 SEASON

It is not yet time to print the balance sheet of the 2014 season but the end is near and one must not miss an opportunity to go fishing and that is what I did yesterday.

The summer was rotten, it is a fact that no one can deny but since a few days the nice weather is back, it is even hot! It does not make fishing easier either. Trouts are not very active on food as they have had time enough to binge during the last two months that where, according to weather records, the wettest since 1959. Just that!

I went fishing a small stream which is very unusual for the area as it looks like a mountain stream: strongly cashed banks, little water, many rocks, waterfalls, etc.

The picture on the left depicts what I have seen when I left the town and started getting closer to the stream. I was sure to spend a good moment in this place.

I did not expect the fishing to be easy and it was not. I think that I am realistic about the status of the salmonids in the area, they are only a shadow of what they were. This situation has made me realize that it was more satisfying for me as a Tenkara angler to catch some wild trouts in these overlooked streams than catching bigger stocked specimens in C&R areas. Unlike most fly anglers I do not let the rods on the rack when fishing gets harder.

The morning was good with a few catches on well marked positions but when the trouts are not hungry it is useless to expect a catch behind each rock. Anyway I do not feel the need to highlight the score as if tenkara was a basketball game, it is much more important to me to learn something every time I go fishing.

I will definitely return to this beautiful stream. The surrounding woods are pretty dense and slow progress on the river allows true immersion. 

It is now 2 p.m, the sun is blazing overhead, the temperature is at its maximum and I decide to leave this heavenly place. 

TRUE CASTING

I share today two very good videos posted on Youtube and I think they are worth being shared because they demonstrate the uselessness of false casts.

Since I fish Tenkara I managed to completely eliminate false casts and replace them with "true casts", those who put my kebari in the field of vision of the trouts. As everyone knows salmonids feed mostly underwater and little on the surface. And never ten feet above the stream!

Some argue that false casts are used to cast a bit further but this argument which may be valid for fly fishing does not stand regarding a tenkara rod on which the line is fixed. 

If I fish only with unweighted wet flies it is because I am convinced that if some experienced Japanese anglers use this kind of pattern for decades they certainly have a good reason to do.

As said Masami Sakakibara in the interview I did with him in May: " Tenkara was done with a line and a fly and making the kebari sink was only done by using the streamflow."
These words are also included in many of the books published by Japanese Tenkara masters such as Dr. Hisao Ishigaki in his book "Very clear level line Tenkara":

I do not want you to fish tenkara like this or like that but it is inconceivable to me not to consider the experience transmitted by those who know the most about this technique. 

Give true light wet flies a try and you will quickly understand the advantages over weighted patterns and false casts. 

TENKARA-NO-ONI KNOTS

I often receive mails from tenkara starters about the knots to be used to link the line to the rod, the tippet to the line and the fly to the tippet. This question often comes with lo-fi pictures or incomprehensible diagrams and I thought it was time for an adequate response.
This adequate, clear and definitive response was given by Masami Sakakibara aka Tenkara-no-Oni...

ONI "TYPE III" TENKARA ROD

A few weeks ago Masami Sakakibara-san, aka Tenkara-no-Oni, announced the release of a new range of tenkara rods and after several visits on his blog in a few days I did decide to purchase a "Type III" model.

After a few em-mails my order was recorded and the only thing I had left to do was wait for the parcel to be delivered. I do not know how it is for you, my fellow readers, but when I wait for a parcel the wait always seems endless...Finally the receipt is signed and the rod in my hand!

Theoretical characteristics are:

Length: 11.15 ft
Closed Length: 23.6 in
Weight: 60 gr
Segments: 7
Handle Length: 11.8 in
Handle: camouflage foam
Action: 5:5
Made in Japan

Like most Japanese rods the Oni rod is sold without a tube, you can chose between two different patterns for the sock. The one I have chosen is simple and beautiful. Exactly what I like.

The rod is sent in a PVC tube that allows it to travel safely, the tube is so well closed you will need a sharp boxcutter to open it.

The rod I did receive perfectly matches the theoretical characteristics except for the weight of my rod that is 61,5 grams.

The butt cap is golden. It is knurled and has a coin slot, that is the first time I see the both features on the same cap. The foam handle has a camouflage pattern, that is also a one of a kind feature of this rod.

I really like this uncommon appearance which is enhanced by the metallic purple winding check.

The blank inscriptions are clear and simple; Tenkara-no-Oni's hanko, Tenkara written in katakana followed by the model's name "Type III 3.4". These inscriptions are simple, clear and discrete.

The lilian is short (1.57 inches) and its ligature on the blank is impeccably done. Each of the seven segments is finished by a thin golden border. As I expected the achievement of these small details is impeccable. 

The taste of well done work is really palpable.

The parcel I did receive also contained a letter, a small box with three of the flies used by Masami-san and a fabric pouch with a level line; once you have opened the package you are ready to go fishing. I have to say that it is extremely rare in Europe to receive a tackle order that contains anything more than the invoice. 

This is a good point for the Oni Shop to add a bit of relationship in a business transaction. 

After the unpacking euphoria I decided to take advantage of a sunny moment to go testing the casting ability of this superb rod. I could not expect catching anything because of the chocolate milk color of the stream but I could not bring myself to put the rod back in its sock before I had tried it.

As soon as I had the rod ready to cast I realized that this rod had one more thing I like about her; the handle has not only an uncommon look but is also incredibly comfortable and offers three different grip options. This detail is very important for me.

The sensations provided by this rod are incredible! Imagine your fly is remote and you can cast it wherever you want...This 5:5 action rod is quite powerful and does not need any false casting if it is used with a well balanced line and fly ensemble. 

I tested it with the 4 号 line I did receive with the rod and a size 10 Takayama kebari, the balance was perfect and the light breeze did not necessitate any false casting. As soon as the weather and water level conditions get better I will do a complete field test of this great rod.

Stay tuned...