My Best Streams - Traditional Japanese Fly Tenkara 1

Traditional Japanese Fly Tenkara 1
There are flies which I got when I went fishing various places in Gifu pref.

There were two kebari fishing in the fresh water in Japan. One of them is the kebari fishing of Yamame (Amago) and Iwana that has been done by the people and the fisherman in the mountain village in various places adding an original device. Another is the kebari fishing of mainly Hasu (Pale chub) and Haya (Big scaled redfin) that has been performed as a samurai's fishing (Detailed explanation is to another page.). It seems that each has been handed down as the methods of "Tenkara fishing" and "Kabari fishing" until today from old times.
"Tenkara" doesn't have the history as the game, and is different from the western style fishing. Therefore, there are neither the rules nor the limitations. The former tenkara fishing had used bamboo rod, furled tapered line of horse tail, tippet of silkworm thread, and hook that made by a sewing needle. Now, they became rod of carbon from glass, furled tapered line of nylon or fluorocarbon, and special hook with a eye. And it has developed as fishing of sports or game. But tenkara kebari (fly) is very simple, to fish by using the auxiliary measures "Motion" in the mountain streams of Japan that is rapid streams and to cast by the lightweight line easily. I examined pattern of tenkara kebari the traditional kebari that I am collecting, the books, and the Internet etc. As a result, pattern of tenkara kebari could be classified into six patterns excluding a particular pattern.

No one knows for certain why it's called tenkara. Some say it's because tenkara means "from the sky", suggestive of the way the flies are dapped into the water from above.
Others say it came from the word "Tengara", which is an entirely different method of fishing for Ayu (sweet fish), it was introduced to Japan from China.
Still others say it's derived from a game in which children hop around on one leg inside a circle drawn on the ground and Tenkara fishermen hop from rock to other rock in the streams, it's like the children's game "Ken-Ken". It's pronounced differently in various regional dialects, including Chingara, Shinkara and Tsunkara. I prefer this theory, because the playfulness appeals to me.

Hida Takayama area

The left fly has black hackle, body of black wool yarn. The other flies are said "Sakasakebari" in Japanese. There flies are tied in reverse hackle. These have hackle of Japanese hen pheasant's breast feather, body of peacock herl and silk thread. The hook doesn't have eye so we must make eye by yarn. ( 1987 )

Hida Shokawa area

These have brown hackle or ginger hackle, body of peacock herl or red silk thread. ( 1982 )


Hida Shokawa area These all have hackle of pheasant's feather, body of cotton of flowering fern and peacock herl. ( 1983 )

Okumino Itoshiro area

This fly have body of peacock herl and hackle of webb. Webb is like thin downy hair that is under hackle and it is apt to hold water. So it is not used for dry fly. I don't know western style flies that were tied with webb. I think it is very rare fly.
(Sources of reference: Guide of Fly Fishing The Whole Earth Publications Co.,Ltd. 1998)

Mino Gujo area

These are "Sakasakebari" that has handed down to Mino Gujo area. These are flies that were remade by modern sense. These have neck hackle, body of silk thread. Eye is made by yellow mono-filament. The left fly is traditional fly that has body of cotton of flowering fern that was tied by myself. ( 1997 )

Traditional Tenkara Kebari Pictures (Click On Images.)

These are the original pictures of only one by ink and transparent watercolors. If you are interested in ordering Pictures of Traditional Tenkara Kebari, please click here.