Fly fishing in Japan possesses a rich and cultural history, with the popular method of Tenkara being steeped in the country’s historical milieu. Its origins date back centuries to the Shokuryōshi fisherman located in the country’s breath-taking mountainous regions, whose roles would be to catch enough fish to both feed local villages and provide enough salt fish to last throughout winter. The method of fishing they would use, the technique now commonly known as Tenkara, consisted of a rod, a line and a fly — a simple, minimalistic set up which was cost effective and easy to source. The rods, for instance, would be fashioned from bamboo, cleverly pieced together using various species to achieve different zones of flexibility where needed. This method of fly fishing would serve as the precursor to what is commonly known as Tenkara today, which translates from Japanese into “fishing from heaven” or “sky fishing”.
