Trip Report--Tokyo Flyshops

[cdmoore]

Jay, that looks like just a tremendous trip and love the pics. I sincerely hope your parents are doing well.

I currently have two Kakuhiro rods and enjoy them a lot. I have owned four of them total since 2006, but sold off two in order to explore other Japanese makers along the way. I have kept a slightly older, medium-tempered 7'3" 2pc 4-5wt and a current (well, 12 years old but still being made) 7'9" 4pc 3-4wt "Lotus" model with darker flaming. It's amazing to think just how long Kakuhiro-san has been making full-hollow bamboo rods; they are very light in the hand for using metal ferrules (thin cupronickel tubing)--even the 4pc is very light. I do sometimes wish I had held onto my first Kakuhiro, a 6'9" 2pc 3wt, that had a full-on regressive taper and just loaded so easily and roll cast so, so well. He makes 5wt and 6wt rods to handle the huge rainbows in Hokkaido, New Zealand, Western US, etc., but I have never had the pleasure of casting one.

I noticed Fly Fisher magazine in one shot. I have a few issues I've picked up over the years and it is a top shelf production--even though I don't read Japanese. Articles are in depth with mesmerizing photography put out on high quality paper. American bamboo rodmakers are often featured and the Japanese bamboo rod market is surveyed on the regular. Great tying and entomology info. Sometimes food. Frequently an fly-fishing adjacent topic to add interest. And so on. Never seen the like stateside.

Thanks for the vicarious visit.

[Grouse]

Fine report. Enjoyed the images of the offerings of this shop.

[PT48]

Excellent Jay. Japan is a place that I would love to visit, especially to fish some of their beautiful small streams. Also, the temptation would be great to purchase one of their superbly crafted bamboo rods. Is that an Australian ff magazine I see on display?

[ibookje]

Thanks all! It was really amazing to see that tradition and workmanship that goes along with bamboo rods is still appreciated.

I haven't checked out the Korean fly fishing community as there was simply just no time.
I remember asking my dad to bring me a Korean fly fishing magazine back in the mid 1980's and he came back with the message that there was no such thing

Nowadays 'all' Korean fly fishermen have Simms waders and the latest Winston graphite rods.
There are even some fly shops in the country. Gotta check that out next time.

Jay, that looks like just a tremendous trip and love the pics. I sincerely hope your parents are doing well.
.....
It's amazing to think just how long Kakuhiro-san has been making full-hollow bamboo rods; they are very light in the hand for using metal ferrules (thin cupronickel tubing)--even the 4pc is very light.
....
I noticed Fly Fisher magazine in one shot. I have a few issues I've picked up over the years and it is a top shelf production--even though I don't read Japanese. Articles are in depth with mesmerizing photography put out on high quality paper.

Chris It's amazing that before around 1975 fly fishing wasn't 'a thing' in Japan.
I heard somewhere that Japanese makers started copying Leonards and eventually started developing their own style. The magazines and books sold in Japan are simply fantastic. Too bad their books don't get translated into English, with Yuki Bando's book 'Mostly Bamboo' as one of the very few (even only?) exception.

Here is an amazing book I got gifted that recently came out. The wealth of the information, and I'm a nut about fly fishing history, is spectacular. An English translation is probably never going to happen...

Excellent Jay. Japan is a place that I would love to visit, especially to fish some of their beautiful small streams. Also, the temptation would be great to purchase one of their superbly crafted bamboo rods. Is that an Australian ff magazine I see on display?

Pete Japan (as well as Korea) is a country with a majestic culture and history. There is certainly some good fishing to be had, both native Yamame but also large rainbows in Hokaido. But it's in my view more worth to visit the country for the culture, technology (I need to experience a Shinkansen ride!), the people (so polite!), food(!!) as well as fly fishing. I'm certainly considering going back for a longer period.
That magazine is a Japanese magazine probably with the same name.

[cdmoore]

Jay,

My friend and rodmaker Shuichi Akimaru was strongly influenced by Kazuhiro Ashizawa and had the opportunity to know and fish with him. You might find his story interesting, particularly given the timing you cited.

Again, really enjoyed this post and re-reading this thread. I hope you or someone else will travel to Korea soon and give us an update on the state of bamboo rods there.