Tenkara - Japanese Style Fly Fishing
Showing posts with label Iwana. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Iwana. Show all posts
Genryu Fishing of Japan #47
A Bear Family
In January 2020, the first person infected with covid19 in Tokyo came out. The number of infected people increased to about 30 in a month, and although the number of covid19 was more increasing in China and Southeast Asia at that time, I thought that it would be settled by the time the climate became hot, like someone else’s problem. However, the number of infected people did not subside even after spring and gradually spread throughout the country. In April, we were requested to refrain from going out without important purposes and to refrain from traveling across prefectures. Usually, in April and May, I often go fishing in the mountain streams in the neighboring prefectures, but that year I could only go fishing in the small mountain streams in the north of our prefecture or get out to the low mountain hike in our prefecture. I then thought it was a big deal.
Even so, the number of infected people gradually turned to a declining trend, the restrictions on going out were lifted, and we decided to go to the first genryu fishing trip in early June like every year. I talked with my group friends and decided to avoid fishing with large number of people in one group. I went to the familiar Oide-River in Tohoku Iwate with Tsuru-chan and Mr. Matsuzawa for 2 nights and 3 days. Oide-river is the genryu that we often go in the beginning of June because we could harvest good sansai(mountain plants) besides fishing. Concerning Oide-river I have written in “#9 Genryu Fishing Trip Walking Through 1300 Year Old Trail”.
On early Friday morning, Tsuru-chan, Mr. Matsuzawa and I were climbing 1300 year old trail and picked Nemagaritake (Nemagari bamboo shoots), Taranome, udo etc. on the way to the tenba (camp site) by Oide-river. It was a deeply foggy morning, but by the time we crossed the pass and went down to the Oide-river, the clouds had become much thinner, and the sun was shining little by little. Eventually, out of nowhere, Ezoharzemi (Ezoharu Cicada) started singing one by one. “Weather will be better soon," Tsuru-chan said happily with a smile.(Ezoharuzemi only sings in good weather.) After 15 minutes, the blue sky was spreading, and the forest was surrounded by a large chorus of Ezoharzemi. There is no better time than when you come to the mountains and the weather is getting better like this.
The next day we woke up after 6am. Weather was good, and we were all fine. I always think that after sleeping in a mountain listening to the sound of stream we have a pleasant awakening and wonderful morning. May be because the first day of entering the mountain, our sleep time is extremely short due to the travelling the night before, and the tiredness of climbing over the mountains may lead us to a deep sleep from an early night. But not only because of that, I think it is very good for the human body and spirit to sleep in the woods listening to the sound of the stream flowing. In fact, when I come back from the mountain, I'm really in good shape for about a week.
After having breakfast, we set out for the 30m Kashiwa Otaki (Big Water-fall) in Kashiwa-zawa, which flows into far upstream of the main stream. We skipped the area we fished the day before and started fishing about an hour walk from the tenba. Fishing was good on this day as well. There aren't many anglers in this river in early June, and fish are not so cautious. There was very little snow in the last winter, so the amount of water in the stream was very low, but iwana were very active and chasing flies well. The three of us took turns fishing and arrived at Kashiwa Otaki before noon.
We returned to the mainstream and had lunch. We still had plenty of time, so we fished further upstream of the mainstream from noon. The fishing there was also very good. After fishing for about 1 km, Tsuru-chan suddenly shouted, "Oh, bear!" When Tsuru-chan was fishing in the waterfall basin of a waterfall of about 2 m. It seems that a bear appeared on the waterfall, which is about 7 or 8m away from us. According to Tsuru-chan, he was a young bear body length of a little over 1m, who has not grown up yet. The bear was also surprised and fled upstream. After climbing the waterfall, it was a slab gorge with steep banks. We walked a little, but after the bear ran away in a hurry, the puddles all over the places were cloudy. "I think he spoiled the stream for fishing", "I don't want to bump him again." We decided to finish fishing and return to the tenba.
When we walked for an hour to the tenba, Mr. Matsuzawa, who was walking at the front, shouted, "Oh, there is a huge bear!" Well, bear again, when I looked downstream while thinking so, it was true that a wonderfully strong looking and big bear was walking toward us. The bear had not noticed us yet, maybe it was still 100m away. Even at that distance, he was probably a big bear whose body length was probably close to 2m. "Wow, it's a really amazing bear." I said. Tsuru-chan and Mr. Matsuzawa were taking pictures, but the bear still had not noticed us. At the distance of about 50m, I thought it was about to be dangerous distance and we shouted, "Hey, hey." The bear immediately noticed us and disappeared into the woods on the left bank of the stream. It was the usual bear behavior pattern. We though he was not a dangerous bear. We walked to the tenba with confidence.
In the evening, we started a drinking around the bonfire next to the tenba from an early time. After drinking for a while, our talks got excited. Around 6 o'clock when it was finally getting dark, "I think some animal was rustling from a while ago.", "Oh yeah, I noticed that too," said Mr. Matsuzawa and Tsuru-chan. I could not hear it because it was in the direction of the bush behind me. Immediately there was a sound of animal walking in the bush. I felt it was only about 15m away. I felt it was very strange as to whether the wild animals would bonfire and walk to the place where they were speaking loudly. "Hey, hey.", "Don't come over here.", We made a loud voice, but the sound of walking through the bushes was approaching. We were upset and stood up.
"Oh, bear!" Exclaimed Mr. Matsuzawa. A bear was walking just behind Tenba, 7.8 meters from us. "Hey, don't come!" When we shouted, the bear looked finally noticed us. When Tsuru-chan threw a firewood, the bear turned and ran upstream. "What's that? No joke.", "It may be a young bear who doesn't know about humans yet." We were relieved and continued to have dinner. However, in less than five minutes, we were horrified by the sound of pushing through the bush, bear-like sound approaching again. "No way!" Tsuru-chan threw the firewood again, and he became quiet.
"Oh my god, a big mother bear is coming!" Mr. Matsuzawa shouted and pointed to the upper reaches of the stream. A big bear that seemed to be seen upstream in the daytime was crossing the stream about 20m upstream of the Tenba to the right bank side where we were. "Hey, hey!", "Don't come!", We screamed and ringing the pot. The mother bear immediately noticed us and disappeared into the forest on the upstream right bank. That was where the young bear just ran away. And within 5 minutes, a bear-like sound was approaching from the back downstream side of the Tenba. I felt like we were in a pinch and panicked. Tsuru-chan threw a firewood again and drove him away. However, this time it seemed that he was trying to go from downstream to upstream. May be, he was the third one. I suddenly realized. These three bears are a family. Thinking to their size of the two young bears, it was the time they would leave from the mother bear to be independent in the near future. May be, they were practicing apart from their mother during the day. Perhaps the young bears were trying to join their parent bears in the lower reaches of Tenba. One of the young bears passed behind Tenba, but the second was driven away by us and fled upstream. Another young bear, who realized that his mother and brother bears were upstream, would have been driven away by Tsuru-chan every time, trying to pass behind Tenba many times in order to join them
"The next time a young bear comes, let’s go down the stream side and let him through." I told Tsuru-chan and Mr. Matsuzawa also telling them what I thought. About 3 minutes later, a rustling and a young bear came from the downstream side. We immediately descended to the riverbank, and the bear seemed to have gone upstream. "It would have been too bad if I was attacked by that big parent bear.", "Aren't they attack us again, are they?" we talked, but they never came again. Around 11pm, I became quite calm and sleepy. We decided to sleep, but we put all the bonfires woods on the bonfire so that it would keep burning as long as possible. We also left the lantern on. "It's best not to sleep soundly to notice in case a bear comes." Tsuru-chan said.
I woke up once after 1am. The bonfire was still burning. The light of the lantern also illuminated the area. I did not feel any sign of a bear. Insects are crying. I heard a Tora-tsugumi (thrush) singing in the distance. It was the usual genryu night. The two, who had told me not to sleep soundly so that they could immediately notice the sign of a bear, were sleeping soundly with a sleeping bag on their heads. I fell asleep thinking that various things would happen in the mountains.
It was also sunny from the morning on the last day. After withdrawing the tenba, I was walking up the trail to the ridge carrying a backpack that became slightly lighter. Suddenly, I wondered the children bears met the mother bear safely last night. Then, I hoped that the beautiful nature of this genryu area continues to be rich and that bear family will live well in this rich forest for many years. From the bottom of my heart.
Genryu Fishing of Japan #42
Rainbow trout in Cobalt Blue stream
by Keiichi Okushi
Driving a car from the town where I live to the west for about two hours, there is a river named Ohsabi-gawa (Ohsabi-river) that flows from the mountains that continue to the south from Nasu mountain ranges. Its genryu area is still close to towns and villages where people live relatively. It is a genryu that can be easily approached, but the beauty of that genryu area is said to be the best in Kanto region. From the nearest village it only takes about 10 minutes to enter the dirt forest way entrance, and if we drive a car around a mountain for about 15 minutes, the scenery around there shows the aspect of deep mountain valley at once. The river is flowing far far below the steep cliffs in deep rich forests. So, we can only hear the sound of the river faintly on the forest road.
And above all, the beauty of the Ohsabi-gawa's water color is noteworthy. Normally, in the mountain streams of Japan, it shows the color of emerald green in the pools and deep flow parts. But, the color of the water in the genryu area of Ohsabi-gawa shines in a wonderfully beautiful cobalt blue. It is said that it is the influence of minerals contained in hot spring water springing in the head of the source. We genryu fishers called it “Ohsabi Blue” to honor its beauty. Even with those points, this Ohsabi-gawa is a river with enough charm to introduce to you, but there is another reason to make this Ohsabi-gawa famous more.
I wrote in this essay that "In Japan the fish living most upstream of the river is Iwana, no fish live upstream from Iwana." I think that it was certainly the episode of "Iwana". However, there are some exceptions, one of which is this Ohsabi-gawa. It is the fact that many rainbow trout were inhabited over the upstream of the habitat of Iwana, in the most upper part of Ohsabi-gawa. Those rainbow trout were also introduced in the articles of fishing magazines long time ago, and I heard from Mr. Sebata, saying that there were many rainbow trout in the stream and the large rainbow trout of 50cm to 60cm bent the fishing rods bigger.
Well, why did such a thing happen? It was because the Japanese fisheries experimental station had been released those rainbow trout to Ohsabi-gawa experimentally to test if American trout could live in genryu area of rivers in Japan. It was said that they discharged rainbow trout several times upstream of Otaki (Big Watefall) which was a run-up stop for Iwana at that time. The result was a huge success, and rainbow trout was said to have expanded their habitat considerably deep into the genryu area after that. It is about the beginning of the Showa era, that is more than 90 years ago from now. At that time the food situation in Japan was still bad, and rainbow trout was imported as the new food from the United States under such circumstances.
Unfortunately, now we are unable to see a group of rainbow trout swimming in the source of Okawa. This is because someone released Iwana from down-stream of the waterfall to the habitat of this rainbow trout 20 or 30 years ago. Afterthat, Iwana won the inhabitation competition with rainbow trout and now it is hard to see the appearance of rainbow trout in the genryu area. In recent years, not only fish but also various organisms raise problems of alien species, but it seemed that Iwana of native species of Japan was stronger than rainbow trout in this case.
Even now, rainbow trout is often released to the rivers and lakes here in Japan, but mostly it is done in the sections such as the catch & release areas, and many fish are poorly conditioned and many do not have natural mating power. Nevertheless, there are some places where rainbow trout, which were released in some rivers in Hokkaido and Honshu, are breeding naturally. Actually, even in this Ohsabi-gawa, we can meet descendants of rainbow trout that continues from the long time ago. It is only a little, but if you go to the most upper part of genryu section beyond a series of waterfalls walking several hours from the entrance point of the genryu. Yes, we are still able to encounter rainbow trout who are alive in that isolated area.
In the summer of 2018, I went to Ohsabi-gawa to see those rainbow trout with my genryu fishing friends Takano-san and Fuku-chan for 2 nights. Actually, I had gon fishing in Ohsabi-gawa 5 or 6 times so far, but I had never caught rainbow trout at all. Once, I walked to a considerable genryu section and stayed for a night and fished, but it seemed that I had not reached to the habitat of the rainbow trout. This time, we gathered at parking palce at the end of the forest road and stayed for a night. We got down to the river as soon as the next morning walking for about an hour and a half. We set up a temba (camp) where we walked the river about 30 minutes from the entrance point. We walked to the most genryu area soon taking only fishing equipment and lunch. On the way, we did not do any fishing. We left the temba at 9 o'clock and arrived at the place which seemed to be the habitat of rainbow trout at around 11:30.
We prepared for fishing quickly and started fishing. Soon Fuku-chan and Takano-san caught fish first, but both were good sized Iwana. "Well, I guess we can not catch rainbow trout easily." After such conversations, Fuku-chan finally fished a small rainbow trout at the place where we climbed over two small waterfalls. And Takano-san fished a little bigger rainbow trout as well. Both rainbow trout were not big but beautiful, a wild rainbow trout without any doubt. At first glance, the rainbow trout of Ohsabi-gawa had very dilute green (or blue) color on the back, and the red band on the side of the body was remarkably shading in color. It was rainbow trout with a distinctly different personality from rainbow trout living in other rivers and lakes in Japan.
Following them, I also took out my fishing rod. They gave me a first-class point with a deep flow under a small waterfall of about 1 meter. I cast the fly just under the waterfall and letting it drift natural about 2m, then fish came out immediately. When hooked him up, the next moment the big fish jumped. A typical rainbow trout fight pattern. I enjoyed his powerful pull. After a wonderful fight, I landed a rainbow trout that was a little smaller than 30cm.
While I was taking pictures of the fish which I normally do not take, I suddenly got a feeling "this rainbow trout was living his life in that isolated genryu area connecting the life from ancestors released to Ohsabi-gawa almost 100 years ago." Then he looked like a very precious thing like a jewel to me. Yes, I thought he was the jewel of genryu, and although rainbow trout is not a native fish of Japan, I really wanted them and their descendants to stay alive in this genryu area of Ohsabi-gawa forever.
Genryu Fishing of Japan #41
Snow Bridge in mid July
by Keiichi Okushi
This year, rainy season ended much earlier than usual year. In our main genryu fishing field Tohoku, generally the rainy season ends around middle to end of July, but it ended by the end of June this year. As soon as July came, the summer had come. The sun was shining and glittering strongly every day. I do not like the rainy and humid climate of the rainy season, but when the rainy season had ended so soon, I was concerned about the shortage of water. Not to mention growth of agricultural crops, I was also worried that the genryu in the summer would not be drought.
by Keiichi Okushi
This year, rainy season ended much earlier than usual year. In our main genryu fishing field Tohoku, generally the rainy season ends around middle to end of July, but it ended by the end of June this year. As soon as July came, the summer had come. The sun was shining and glittering strongly every day. I do not like the rainy and humid climate of the rainy season, but when the rainy season had ended so soon, I was concerned about the shortage of water. Not to mention growth of agricultural crops, I was also worried that the genryu in the summer would not be drought.
In mid-July, on the three consecutive holidays including the marine day, I went to Arakawa flowing on the south side of the Asahi mountain range with 2 friends, Go-chan and Ubi-chan. Arakawa genryu area is a beautiful mountain stream that runs through white granite river-bank, and the stream is surrounded by mountains of 1,500 meters to 1,800 meters and untouched forests of beech. For me Arakawa is a stream that I have fished many times already, but it is the first genryu in Asahi Mountains for Go-chan and Ubi-chan. Tenba (Camp site) is only 2 hours walk from the car parking, and we can use the climbing trail up to the tenba.
In this fishing trip, we planned to stay at this tenba for 2 nights and aimed to go to the upstream waterfall called “Magari-daki” that I have never been before. A little while ago when I visited Sebata-san at Bansho in Tadami, as I talked about this fishing trip, Sebata-san said, "There must be still snowy bridges remaining in mid-July and it might be impossible to go to Magari-daki." However, we did not have much snow this year, so I thought that it would be fine in the middle of July as expected.
When we arrived at car parking lots by Arakawa, as the weather forecast was very good for the three consecutive holidays, there were 5 or 6 cars were parked in the parking lots at the gate of the climbing pass already. Early in the morning, when nobody had gotten up yet, we started walking up the mountain path. Arakawa's climbing path continued upstream along the river, so there was no hard climb. We walked breathlessly in the deep forest where stunning beech trees are scattered. We crossed three suspended bridges that gradually became poorer, and when the sun appeared over the mountains, we arrived in Temba.
Around the time the Tarp and the Blue Sheet were set up in the tenba, 2 anglers were coming down to the stream. We exchanged greetings. They said "We will stay for one night, so we would like to go to the tenba of about an hour and fish around there." I said “OK, then we will fish lower part today.” “We will take care walking not to spook fish” they said and walked to up stream.
We had a break for a while and prepared for fishing. Go-chan said he would like to fish near tenba and have a little nap today. I could understand him because we only slept for 2 or 3 hours a night before. Ubi-chan and I decide to fish up to Masudome-no-taki (Trout Stop Water Fall) which is about 1km up-stream from the temba. Arakawa in this section is surrounded by un-touched deep forest of big old beech trees, and stream flows slowly with a large amount of water.
I thought fishing might be a tough condition because it was already July and many fishers walked and fished around this area, but contrary to expectations, the fish showed good reactions to our kebari. There were nice sized iwana of 24-27 cm vent our rods at every good point. Apparently the two leading fishers seemed to have walked so as not to rough the fishing points. Ubi-chan and I enjoyed fine fishing up to Masu-dome water fall. We had lunch under the water fall and walked back to the tenba.
When we arrived at the tenba another 2 guys lookd ike fishers were resting by the tenba. I said hello to them, then one guy told me “You are Okushi-san, aren’t you?”. He was a genryu fisher that I once met in the keiryu and talked for a while. They were wanting to stay at this tenba, so we welcomed them to set a tarp by our place. Luckily there was enough space for one more tarp. I said, “Let’s drink together tonight.” “Yes, of course.” they answered with smile.
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| "Photo by Uberto Calligarich" |
Next morning, we woke up at 6:30 am. When we were having breakfast, 2 young guys looked like Sawanobori (Stream trekking) were coming over. They told that they were on a day hike sawanobori and do some fishing too. We said we would probably catch up sometimes later, and we saw off them. There were many people because of 3 consecutive holidays. Well, thought that day's fishing was difficult, but I thought it was OK if we could see Magari-daki, and we left Tenba after 8:00 am.
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"Photo by Uberto Calligarich"
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Two fishers we met yesterday came down as we walked a little. Talking, yesterday they took a tenba near there and fished up-stream. “Fishing was good.” They smiled fairly. Talking with them, I learned that they are the same locals as me. We talked for a while and said good-bye. Around 9:00 am, we reached the confluence of Nabekura-sawa where a huge snow bridge lied down even in mid-June. The snow bridge had disappeared without a trace, but the mainstream was deep pool for about 30m that we can not wade or traverse, Ubi-chan and I decided to climb over the 40m high right-side riverbank, but surprisingly Go-chan swam and broke through the pool.
We started fishing from the up-stream of this big pool. We fished some iwana but size was not satisfied, we knew it was because there were still 2 sawanobori guys up-stream. We walked again and then we found 2 guys about 100m up-stream. We soon caught up with them. It was around 10:30. They said they were just finishing fishing and go down the stream as they had to go home by the evening. Finally, there was nobody up-stream of us in Arakawa genryu. Now, as soon as I thought that Arakawa fishing was going to be real high right, the river suddenly became little muddy. I think it was the sign that a snow bridge broke down somewhere up-stream. "In July, there must be snow bridges left." I remembered Mr. Sebata-san’s words.
As we fished and walked for about 30 minutes, the turbidity disappeared. After passing a large tributary called Ohobi-zawa, the flow of mainstream became rapid, and the contrast of white granite of river banks and green forest, pale blue sky showed us a beautiful scenery of Arakawa genryu. Iwana to catch got bigger, and they bent our fishing rod comfortably.
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"Photo by Uberto Calligarich"
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After few minutes, we faced Ex-Sakanadome Waterfall. It was only 2m high water fall, but there was no clue, I climbed the right bank acrobatically and put out the rope for Ubi-chan. As we walked for a while, the valley became the deep gorge and the compressed flow became deeper and stronger. When we turned one blind corner of the valley, there was a huge snow bridge caught upon 30 meters high valley hill. It looked like breaking and falling down any time soon. That was too huge and too unstable snow bridge. The current under it was very deep and rapid. We had to give up wading up the stream there. However, it was quite an inspiring sight.
We had lunch at down-stream of that place and slowly went down the stream. The sun in summer was as strong as ever, the temperature went up but the walking in a pure flow was very pleasant. In the pool by Nabekura-zawa, high school students boys and girls sawanobori (stream climbing) group was practicing swiming supported by instructors by a rope. They said they were wading up Oh-Obisawa from now on and stay overnight in the mountain and coming down the climbing path tomorrow. We waved hands and said, "Take care and enjoy!". Everyone turned about and waved hands with a smile.
This time, we could not reach the target waterfall. Moreover, it was only 200 meters from the waterfall. It was disappointing, but fishing was very good and we really enjoyed breathtaking sceneries. Also, we met more fishermen and sawanobori climbers than usual during this trip, and everyone was very nice. On the last day, we met the local elementary school students who were led by the teachers. They were on a beginner river hike tour and everyone looked enjoying the walk very much. They all said hello to us with smiles. It reminded me the smiles of the high school students who were waving hands at that pool Nabekura-zawa a day before. I was thinking that Japanese young people were still not that bad.
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"Photo by Uberto Calligarich"
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This time, we could not reach the target waterfall. Moreover, it was only 200 meters from the waterfall. It was disappointing, but fishing was very good and we really enjoyed breathtaking sceneries. Also, we met more fishermen and sawanobori climbers than usual during this trip, and everyone was very nice. On the last day, we met the local elementary school students who were led by the teachers. They were on a beginner river hike tour and everyone looked enjoying the walk very much. They all said hello to us with smiles. It reminded me the smiles of the high school students who were waving hands at that pool Nabekura-zawa a day before. I was thinking that Japanese young people were still not that bad.
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| "Photo by Uberto Calligarich" |
Genryu Fishing of Japan #35
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| Images and reference to the book, "Iwana and Commercial Fisherman of the Headstream" by Toshiji Shimura |
Shoku-ryoshi (Professional Keiryu Fisher)
There used to be professional fishermen called “Shoku-ryoshi” in the mountain villages of Japan. They were the fishermen who caught Iwana or Yamame (Mostly Iwana in our region) by only fishing in mountain streams. We Japanese people normally call professhional fishermen “Ryoshi”. They are the fishermen in the ocean, lakes or lower part of river, but only those who did catch Iwana or Yamame by fishing with a fishing rod in mountain streams were distinguished by being called “Shoku-ryoshi”. They lived in mountain villages and went into deep mountains to fish Iwana or Yamame. Some Shuku-ryoshi were staying in the mountains for a week or more sleeping in a coarse hut made by themselves or a rock cave. It is not certain when this work from was established, but probably hundreds of years ago, I guess from around the Edo period. And it is said that they were probably the fishermen who first invented fly fishing in the mountain streams in Japan.
Naturally there was no convenient fishing gear like modern days in those eras when Shoku-ryoushi were active. There were no light weight carbon rods or strong nylon or fluorocarbon lines. They used one piece bamboo rods made by themselves and hand- made taper lines made of horse tail hair. There was also no convenient camping gear too. They refined the necessary equipment from their daily used goods and went into the mountains with all equipment putting in the shoulder basket knitted with ivies or tree skins. Footwear used was straw sandals called “Waraji”. They used up a pair waraji in one day. So they needed to take many pair. In those days it was unable to imagine such as wading shoes. When it was raining, they wore straw rain-coat called “Mino”. For the foods, they took rice, miso, salt, some preserved meals, and they ate fish, wild vegetables, mushrooms whatever they could get in the mountains. There was no flashlight of course. They made bonfire and warm up themselves and lighted up the night. They fished during the daytime and grilled the fish caught with bonfire in the night. In most cases they entered the mountains alone. It was probably to keep the routes to their good fishing streams and fishing technics secret. Their lives of them and their families were dependent on the result of fishing.
The fish Shoku-ryoshi caught were grilled unseasoned or smoked normally and sold to neighboring villages by their families or merchants of their villages. At that time, fish were valuable for mountain villagers living far away from the sea in the days when there was no refrigeration technology. Iwana or Yamame were sold at a considerably high prices compared with the present age. That was why a job called Shoku-ryoshi could be established. In addition, Iwana and Yamame, which were delicious rare mountain fish, became very popular in mountain hot-spring towns. Some Shoku-ryoshi fished Iwana or Yamame in a daytime and carried them in a same day with overnight trip to a hot spring resort.
When I started keiryu fishing, I liked reading books of fishing stories or essays especially about mountain stream fishing. At that time, I was a businessman in Tokyo, and reading books was good fun in a commuter train. When I was reading those books about such mountain stream fishing, one day I found a book about Shoku-ryoshi. It was the book written about 4 Shoku-ryoshi who lived in the era of the Meiji, Taisho, and Showa (About from1900 to 1985). The book was edited by hearing stories from them about their lives and fishing. For me, who was just crazy about kebari fishing in the mountain stream, this book was a wonderfully interesting. I was really absorbed in the stories about Shoku-ryoshi, and realized they were pioneers of Japanese genryu fishing and kebari fishing. In the long history of Japan, it is worthy that Shoku-ryoushi (Professional mountain stream fisherman), was the firm job and it was continued from a pretty old era in remote mountain villages. I felt that fact was one of the most important folklore studies for Japan.
Indeed, three of the four fishermen on that book were doing kebari fishing mainly and catching Iwana. Especially, I was more interested in Hirano Sokichi’s stories than other three gays. Hirano Sokichi was living in Hinoemata village, where I visited frequently for fishing. He was born in Hinoemata village in 1900. He started fishing as Shoku-ryoshi from the age of 14 years old, and in 1987 when the book was published, he was still fishing Iwana even when he was 87 years old. Starting from Oze (Now Oze area is very famous and popular National Park.) to the main stream of the Tadami River (One of the biggest mountain main streams in Main island of Japan.) and entered the headwater areas of the tributaries, he fished Iwana all the day and slept at the poor mountain hut or Iwaya (Natural rock cave.) at night. He also grilled the Iwana and dried it until very late every night. He spent 7 to 10 days in one expedition in the mountains. Fish he caught was sold as valuable protein source to the people living in the neighbor villages by his families.
Since fishing can only be done from early summer to autumn, he had a few fields in the village and did hunting in the mountains from winter to spring. So Sokichi fed eight families mainly by doing Shoku-ryoshi. There were several other Shoku-ryoshi in Hinoemata village, but the notable point of Sokichi was the extent of his range of fishing. Sometimes seeking for Iwana, he climbed over 3 mountain ranges and explored into a deep mountain valley where people could not ever come over. I fished around those areas and know quite a bit of the areas. It is tremendous deep mountains and even climbing over one mountain range and going beyond is real hard work. Moreover, there was no track or footpath in the mountains. He only traced his own route. It is difficult to visit those areas even in modern times where the forest roads were improved to a certain extent.
There is Mt. Komagatake altitude 2100m towering in the north of Hinoemata village. Sokichi liked a stream called “Merugamata-zawa” which is running over that mountain, but he had to climb over the mountain ranges three times to get the stream, and there was a huge snow bridge called “trimodichi-gura” hanging over the lower part of the stream. In the year when they had plenty of snow, he said that he had to go up stream while wading in the water for 300 meters under the dark snow bridge. I surely think he could catch enough Iwana even though he did not go to such a great deed outback.
While reading his biography, I believe that Sokichi did not go over that outback because he wanted to fish a lot of Iwana. Sokichi thrust into deep in the mountains because he just wanted to go to the places where no one had ever been and wanted to see the sceneries of the valleys no one had seen. It must be because of his strong adventurous spirit. We also have a similar feeling when we are on a genryu fishing trip. We often feel what kind of scenery is there ahead of this bend, or what flow is there if we climb over this waterfall? I think it is one of the reasons for being fascinated by mountain stream fishing.
In the story of Sokichi, he said that he did bait fishing at the beginning, but kebari fishing eventually became main method of his fishing. It was "Kebari fishing" then. Not “Tenkara fishing”. There was no word of "Tenkara Fishing"in the era in his district. Sokichi said that he was fishing while looking at the flowing kebari. It seems that his kebari fishing was just like dry fly fishing. Many of Shok-ryoshi also prefered kebari fishing. There are some reasons. Some people said because they did not have to catch and keep the baits. Some other said because it was easy to arrange the size of the fish. Others point that the result of fishing was fast.
For them, Shoku-ryoshi, the streams with lots of Iwana, or good baits, good kebari, fishing methods were all very important corporate secrets. So they did not teach people how to make good kebari, line system or fishing methods, etc. It was an important secret that they talked only to a very limited person such as disciples and children. A form of transmission called "isshisoden" in Japanese. It means transmission of the secrets of tenkara fishing from father to only one child. So tenkara fishing tackle system and fishing methods have never spread to general fishing people until recent days.
Nowadays some famous Shoku-ryoshi have been introduced to public by books etc., and we know some famous Shoku-ryoshi like Toyama Shinaemon of Kurobe river, Yamada Kametaro of Akiyama-go, Hirano Sokichi of Hinoemata village, but there had been much more Shokuryoshi were doing their business at many places in Japan since many years ago. I think they are pioneers of genryu fishing in Japan and also kebari fishing (Tenkara fishing) definitely. Those Shoku-ryoshi invented and developed kebari fishing over a long period of time. So to speak, tenkara fishing is a fishing method of professional fishermen basically. I'm not quite sure, but how about the fly fishing history that has been developed in the Western countries? Even with the same fly fishing, it seems like fly fishing has been developed more like as sport or recreation. If it is correct, it would be one of the big differences between tenkara fishing and fly fishing.
When I was fishing in genryu areas of Tadami River, there were 2 mountain huts along Tadami River. Those huts are called “Desakugoya” or “dezukurigoya” and people lived in the hut only during the summer as a base for field works and mountain works. One of those huts was then owned Sokichi. Yes, back then Sokichi was still living there by Tadami River and sometimes entered the genryu streams for fishing. I think that he was over 90 years old at that time already. I remember the hut was built with sturdy timbers and vegetables were grown in small fields in front of the hut. Sometimes smoke was rising from the chimney of the hut.
One day I heard from someone living in Hinoemata village that Sokichi died. That was not the reason, but I gradually ceased to go to the Tadami River area. Sometimes, I think of what is going on for that Sokichi's hut. I wonder if someone of Sokichi's family still takes care of the hut. It has been more than ten years since Sokichi passed away. Now, there is no more real Shoku-ryoshi in Japan. They have disappeared into the flow of time.
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