The Art of Edo Wazao： Japan’s Timeless Fishing Rods Handcrafted to Perfection 🌸🎣

A rod for small freshwater fish like Tanago, Bitterling, designed to be compact and nested. The entire rod is coated with a beautiful lacquer leaving a lasting impression. There are roughly 10 major steps in crafting a rod. Each step involves detailed work and completing a single rod can take about half a year, sometimes even several years. The process is meticulous and time-consuming. This time, Kamoshita shows us some of the representative steps in rod making. The rod is made using several types of bamboo. There are about 250 species of bamboo native to Japan. Mainly four types are used in rod making. Madake is one of Japan's representative bamboos with a thick diameter and reaching heights of up to 20 meters. It is finely split into strips and used for the rod's tip known as the Hosaki. Jidake, known for its straight growth and elasticity, was traditionally used for arrow shafts. It is also used for brushes and pipe stems and in rods it forms the main body. Hachiku has dense fibers and is used for tea whisks. In rods, it is used for the handle. Then there is Hoteidake, named for its swollen base resembling the belly of a Hotei grasshopper and it can be used for various parts of the rod. Each type of bamboo has its unique characteristics and uses. Craftsmen skillfully select and combine these bamboo based on the type of fish, the rod's purpose and the customer's request. Kamoshita travels across Kyushu and the Kanto region every year in search of high quality bamboo. The harvested bamboo cannot be used immediately. After initial processing, it is sun-dried and then stored indoors. The next step is cutting, determining the rod's length and how the pieces will be joined. This involves selecting the appropriate bamboo pieces from many options and combining them into a single rod. Creating a rod that is both lightweight and strong, tailored to the customer's preferences, is the craftsman's skill. A crucial aspect of cutting is the condition, the rod's flexibility. The rod's flexibility absorbs the force of the fish pulling the line, making it easier for the angler to reel in the catch. By adjusting the balance of flexibility 70-30, 30-70 or 50-50, the rod's ease of use and feel can be altered. This balance is key to a good rod. The aesthetic beauty of the rod is also considered when cutting the bamboo. Bamboo is a natural material. As such, it can be curved or warped. Straightening it requires a process called haire, heat treatment. Using the charcoal fire, the bamboo is slowly heated and a special tool called a tamaki is used to straighten the curved sections. The steam rising from the bamboo's tip is residual moisture. Through haire, the bamboo becomes stronger. It gradually becomes straighter. Kamishita recalls his master's words about the approach to work. The master was strict, but… The haire process is complete. The bamboo is now straight and free of warping. Next is the process of preparing the bamboo for joining. A twisted blade, called a willow leaf, yenagiba, is used. The willow leaf is inserted into the bamboo to remove internal nodes. This willow leaf was actually handmade by Kamishita. Not just the willow leaf, but almost all the tools, sword tip cutting tools, files, and tamaki, are handmade by Kamishita. This is his dedication to creating the ideal rod. After removing the nodes and smoothing the surface with a file, the sugiguchi, female side, is created, the part where the bamboo pieces are joined. This is called sugekomi, male side. The depth of the sugekomi is determined using a special tool, and then silk thread is wrapped around it, a crucial step. This is an important point. To insert the sugikomi, male side, the sugiguchi, female side, must be thin. However, if it's too thin, the rod may break under pressure. In other words, the silk thread reinforces the bamboo's strength. Then, lacquer is applied over the thread. The lacquer also acts as a flexible reinforcement. Next, the sugikomi, the male part, is created. The key here is the tapered shape, narrowing toward the tip. Both the sugikomi and sugiguchi are tapered, ensuring the joint can withstand force without gaps. There are two types of joints, namitsugi, wave joint, and in rutsugi, wide joint. This time, we observed the namitsugi. The craftsman carefully checks the shavings as he works. Once the male part is done, the female part is next. The size of the cut is gradually adjusted, thinning it to the limit. Nowadays, machines are used, but in the past, this was done by hand. The completed sugiguchi, the fit, is checked. It fits perfectly. There's a hidden ingenuity here. Easy to separate, yet secure. Such subtle ingenuity supports traditional craftsmanship. They are targeting tanago, bitterling. In spring, these fish develop a beautiful coppery color. They have been popular among anglers for a long time, but their subtle bites require a rod with excellent flexibility. We got one, a male tanago with a faint bluish hue. What made Nagatani-san fall in love with Kamoshita's rods? I want to see the difference. I want to see what it looks like. If there are no cracks, I can be assured that it's good. If there are cracks, I can think of improvements. The work doesn't end with creation. This sense of responsibility is what produces the best work. After crafting the rod, the next step is the undercoating. This involves detailed work before the decorative lacquer is applied. This is a wire used to create the heavy gucci, faucet. This is the part that connects the rod's tip to the fishing line. This one is for a crucian carp rod. It is attached to the madake tip and wrapped with silk thread. The completed heavy gucci faucet for crucian carp fishing rod, the one for tanago, bitterling, is even smaller. The lacquer coating is where the craftsman's aesthetic sense and skills shine. Many renowned masters have poured their hearts into this step. One lacquering technique is called yamatate, mountain stand. Lacquer is applied using the fibrous part of alufa. This creates texture, which later forms beautiful patterns. After drying, more lacquer is applied and gold leaf is added. After several more coats of lacquer and drying, the surface is polished, much like making lacquerware. The process is both artistic and technical. There are still new discoveries. Each material has its own characteristics. The fact that there are still new discoveries means that we are still evolving. The Edo Wazao crafting process is nearing its end. Lacquer is applied to the rod's body. Instead of a brush, the craftsman uses his fingers. This is a unique technique of Wazao craftsmen. In the case of Mr. Saoya, many people use their fingers to apply lacquer. I think it's because the lacquer is applied beautifully. I don't know who came up with this. The delicate touch of the fingers transforms the rod into a beautiful work of art. After a long time and many steps, the Edo Wazao is born. This particular rod took about a year to complete. The entire rod features a technique called setsukaginori, sectional shadow painting, and the rod's cap uses bamboo of different diameters to create a snake eye pattern. Such meticulous attention to detail is evident. Edo Wazao craftsman Takehito Kamoshita. The door to tomorrow. That he opens with his hands is simple. Creating new traditions with his own hands. That dream will surely come true. Opening the door to tomorrow, he takes another step closer to his dream.