Wherever there is water, you will find someone with a rod and reel, ready to fish. This is particularly true in Japan. The northern part of the archipelago is home to countless trout streams, particularly on the island of Hokkaido, while in the south, anglers can try their hand at landing tropical species.
Surrounded on all sides by the stunning and abundant waters of the Pacific Ocean, Japan is also home to various freshwater lakes, rivers, and mountain streams. Perhaps better known for its ground-breaking technology and the buzzing metropolis of Tokyo, the Land of the Rising Sun also boasts a strong fishing history that has thrived for centuries and is still booming, thanks to a fondness for seafood, and particularly sushi.
Ample fishing opportunities
For visiting recreational anglers, there are ample fishing opportunities since in Japan fishing is seen as both a serious sport and a leisurely hobby, an attitude reflected by the nation’s incredibly diverse fisheries. From fishing in the heart of Tokyo, casting in the shadow of Mount Fuji, to the country’s frozen lakes, Japan offers a multitude of different experiences to whet the appetite of anglers from all over the world, with options to suit all from the most hardened of anglers to the brand-new fisherman or woman.
Tenkara is a Japanese fly-fishing method that originated in the mountains and has developed into a modern pastime. Requiring a long rod with a fixed length of casting attached to the rod-tip, anglers using the Tenkara method use just one fly at a time, favoring simple, impressionistic wet fly patterns. This method was developed for use in free-flowing rivers, relying on a skillful technique and stream-craft in order to land trout and char.
Tenkara method
The Tenkara method originated in mountain-dwelling communities inhabiting the Tohoku region of Japan. It was formalized by Yuzo Sebata in the 1980s through the country’s most famous fishing publication, Tsuribito, meaning “fisherman.”.
Learning how to set up a Tenkara rod can be a frustrating experience for the uninitiated. It is vital to keep in mind that knots used by many Tenkara fishers dramatically weaken the tippet. The golden rule to Tenkara fishing is, when attaching or detaching the casting line, the angler should never have the rod tip exposed outside the handle section of the rod.
When extending the rod, this should be done in sequence from the thinnest to the thickest sections. Conversely, when collapsing the rod, the fisher should start with the handle section, working from thickest to thinnest. When collapsing each section, it is important to hold the rod blank close to each point, particularly for the thinner sections. If the angler grips the blank too far from the joint, the rod can easily bend and snap as the angler pushes the sections towards each other.
“Euro-nymphing” rods and leaders
Many anglers take the techniques used in Tenkara, combining them with “Euro-nymphing” rods and leaders with great success. When combined with Euro and competition fishing methods, fly manipulations of Tenkara can be extremely effective. In addition, the long, telescopic rods used in Tenkara are extremely convenient and portable. The lack of rod-rings and guides in the blank mean that finer and more flexible rod tips can be used, enabling the angler to cast much lighter casting lands.
With a long rod and superlight casting line, fishers can hold tall their line off the water at range, helping them to avoid spooking fish with the splashdown from a fly line. A Tenkara setup also enables anglers to keep their line above nagging currents that could otherwise spoil their drift.
A common myth is that since Tenkara rods have a fixed length of line attached to the rod tip, they are only good for catching small fish. Although the method was originally developed to catch small to medium sized char and trout, in reality, the tackle can be matched to larger specimens in a similar way as used in other fishing methods.
Yamame and amago
The two main types of trout targeted in Japan are the yamame and amago. The two subspecies are virtually identical, apart from vivid red spots found across the body of the amago which the yamame lacks. Both referred to outside of Japan as “cherry salmon,” James Prosek mentions the subspecies in his book, Trout of the World, in which he describes them as native salmonids, and beautiful pink and violet salmon that exist in both anadromous and landlocked forms. The two subspecies are separated geographically in Japan and do not intermingle in the same streams, with yamame predominantly found in northern Japan, and amago found in the south.
Japanese char come in two main types: the nikko iwana and yamoto iwana. Nikko iwana are more commonly found since the subspecies is hardier and more prolific. The yamato is not only harder to find due to its rarity, but is notoriously easily spooked, making it difficult to catch. Yamoto iwana are therefore the remit of determined anglers who are prepared to work hard to find them, climbing wet rocks and even rappelling waterfalls.