Tenkara - Japanese Style Fly Fishing
Showing posts with label Yoko Goto. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Yoko Goto. Show all posts
Interview with Shouetsu Goto
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| Yoko and Shouetsu Goto |
Thank you for taking the time for this interview. I was planning it, but I wanted to give you a little time between Yoko san interview. Now, I am able to introduce you with a unique introduction. I am so happy to be interviewing both of you now, especially since your new book is out.
First and foremost, thank you again for your time.I have been to Japan three times, but last time I visited many friends at Tadami Bansho. I have been taken on several fishing trips in the valleys of Japanese mountains. We hiked long distances, not only eating at camp but also climbing and route finding. My backpack was unusually heavy, wading, hiking and climbing was a bit of a challenge. My friend said it was a little easier than their trips, but there was one time I was going up a vertical mud wall that was undercut at the bottom. Thirty feet up and it was vertical. The last ten feet I was skating, and I felt like I would get hurt if I slipped and fell. Luckily, I had a few friends who looked after me.
Anyway, no one in our group slipped and it turned out to be an epic trip that I still remember clearly. Your style of fishing is inspiring, and the effort and special equipment is required. I realized that your headwater fishing is on a different scale compared to fly fishing or tenkara in the US.
So, I appreciate what you do.
I watch all your videos! Several times! They are great, and I know in another life, I was one of you!
I bought your book Genryu Izakaya and I love it. I have already discovered a good knife, the G. Sakai, which I currently own and use in my camping kit and at home. We also found nesting wooden bowls from Vidahde. This is very convenient for hot food and very aesthetic. There are good things about your videos and books, like here in Tenkara Fisher's Origin Story.
Anyway, thanks for all the great resources.
First of all, I admire you both as a couple and as individuals. You are very resourceful. I'm glad your house is tidy and your pub is open!
"How did the idea for Genryu Izakaya start?"
Shouetsu Goto: My wife named it Genryu Izakaya because I cook food that looks like an izakaya. After that, I started making videos on YouTube because I felt that I couldn't convey the fun with just photos on social media.
Adam Trahan: Your YouTube compilation is a perfect blend of tenkara, genryu, backpacking, tenkara, temba and cooking!
I really like your channel.
"I heard that you are also in Japan's Headwaters magazine, can you tell us about some of the articles in the magazine?"
We do not introduce the name of the river to protect the fishing grounds of the important headwaters.
That's why I don't get many requests for magazine interviews.
Adam Trahan: There are a lot of big rivers here in America and many of us do mainstream tenkara.
“Do you practice Honryu?”
Shouetsu Goto: Unfortunately, many of Japan's mainstream rivers are man-made, such as dams, and the water is not very clean. I like fishing in the great outdoors, and I also want to go camping, so I often go deep into the mountains.
Adam Trahan: One of the things I do is packcraft and honryu fishing in the big canyon rivers. The water is cold! The canyon is beautiful, and I have continued to enjoy it over the years.
"Please tell me about one of your ideas for a perfect fishing trip?"
Shouetsu Goto: Our fishing trip includes fishing, wild vegetables, mushrooms, sake, bonfires, and camping.
There are so many things to enjoy, so even if fishing isn't your thing, you can still have fun.
We always look for new fishing spots, so it is not always possible to catch fish. That's why I started cooking delicious food and enjoying sake.
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Adam Trahan: I really enjoy taking people to river canyons. Everyone says the same thing, "EPIC", laughing and enjoying the experiences and memories together.
"Do you like to bring new people on your trip to Genryu?"
Shouetsu Goto: I would like to introduce new people to the wonders of Genryu and the joy of fishing. However, headwater fishing requires "physical strength" and "mental strength" of course, but you also need knowledge and skills to protect your own life, such as climbing and sawanobori. Taking a beginner is very difficult.
Adam Trahan: I'm not a teacher, but I enjoy sharing the fun of tenkara with people. I will teach many people how to do it, but I do not consider myself a teacher or a guide. I was getting paid to write about tenkara for a while, but it wasn't the best time ever. The best time is being with other people I don't have to teach and enjoying the experience together.
I can't read Japanese, but I can understand picture books, and if I have any questions, I have friends who can read Japanese and help me.
"Can you tell me about your book? Is it an educational book, or is it just a recipe for what you do and what you experience?"
Shouetsu Goto: Genryu Izakaya is not an educational book. However, for those who want to go headwater fishing, there is information that is necessary for people who want to go, such as the know-how to transport food deep in the mountains without spoiling, and the introduction of special tools. Of course, there are nearly 150 recipes that anyone can easily make delicious meals.
"Are you planning to write any more books at this time?"
Shouetsu Goto: If the publisher requests it, I will. There are still things we haven't talked about with our original know-how and new recipes.
Adam Trahan: I started to write a book about tenkara but I decided against it. I think I would rather it be a sort of mystery, what my idea of tenkara is. There are a few books in the English language about tenkara. My favorites for gifts or suggestions to new tenkara anglers are one from Daniel Galhardo and the others are from John Pearson and Dr. Paul Gaskell. The other books which I have not listed, I have not read. I don't think I can do a better job than Daniel, Dr. Paul and John, mine would just be different so really no need or desire to write a book from an English language point of view.
What I enjoy most now is using my computer to create websites that reflect what I do and what I am interested in.
There are many tenkara books written by Japanese authors that would benefit the tenkara community outside of Japan if they were translated into English.
"Do you have any plans to translate your book into English?"
Shouetsu Goto: I think it will be up to the publisher, Yamato Keitanisha.
Adam Trahan: I use a Gamakatsu Suimu. Such a great rod. There are very few people outside of Japan that use them. I own all three sizes and each size is good for what it was designed for. The EX 400 is my mountain stream rod. It is my number one choice for tenkara. For Honryu, I choose the EX 450 and 500. I use these rods for their length and ability to fight big fish.
"Please tell me about your tenkara rod of choice. If you have anything to say about it, which one would you choose? Why?"
Shouetsu Goto: For tenkara I have about 10 rods, but I mainly use the Suimu EX400 and Keiho 3.3 (old type). Suimu has the advantages of being durable and hard to break, allowing for accurate casting because the shaking of the rod is quickly stopped, being powerful enough for long casting, and being able to quickly bring the fish to hand even if a large fish is hooked. I also use the Keiho. It is a rod with similar characteristics, and I have it for fishing narrow streams in Japan.
Adam Trahan: I met Yoshikazu Fujioka about 25 years ago. I started making a site for mountain stream fly fishing. I like the way Japanese people fish in mountain streams. Thank you to you and your wife for creating a YouTube channel "Genryu Izakaya" for those of us who love what you do.
Looking at your channel, I can see that the equipment you are using is working very well. I use some of it in my adventures. I just want to say thank you.
I enjoy sharing my interest in tenkara, which is why I make Tenkara Fisher available. I think that is the same reason for creating Genryu Izakaya.
"You have a website. I like your videos, magazine content, and books. What are you going to do with your it?"
Shouetsu Goto: I'm thinking about linking new YouTube videos, blogging about fishing trips, introducing the tools I use, and selling original goods.
The website is still incomplete.
Adam Trahan: It is late summer here, but our fishing season in Arizona is year-round. Many of our mountain streams get blanketed with snow and become unavailable due to road closures. This is the time of year we are looking to make our last great adventures of summer and then we get into fall which can be really good fishing but the snows of winter, it usually slows our fishing down.
Adam Trahan: It is late summer here, but our fishing season in Arizona is year-round. Many of our mountain streams get blanketed with snow and become unavailable due to road closures. This is the time of year we are looking to make our last great adventures of summer and then we get into fall which can be really good fishing but the snows of winter, it usually slows our fishing down.
I turn my attention to fishing in other directions. The rivers are farther down in warmer climates and the fishing there is good all winter. I used to do a lot of snowboarding and hiking in the lower mountains, but fishing mountain streams isn't really a wintertime activity for me. I tie kebari and think about and plan adventures for the new season. Here in town, they stock trout in our local ponds, so we go fishing and then cross the street and go to the bar!
Shouetsu Goto: I pick mushrooms and grapes in the mountains in autumn.
In winter, my wife and I go hunting. I often shoot ducks and wild birds. The feathers are available for tenkara kebari.
Adam Trahan: If you are ever in the area, please feel welcome at my home. We live in the desert Southwest, very different from your climate, however I have had Japanese friends who really like our desert vista. I would be happy to show you around.
I plan to visit your area with a friend that I introduced to tenkara. He has lived in Japan for thirty years so far. He is from Phoenix but married a Japanese gal and has a home in Tokyo. He now goes back and forth, and I will accompany him on a trip in the near future. He knows we have to visit your Izakaya when we go fishing in the Alps.
Sometimes I like to go to Hawaii and fish for trout on the island of Kauai. It reminds me a lot like Japan except there are no streams down past headwaters that hold trout. Kauai is too far South on the globe, only the streams that were stocked long ago near the top of the mountains in one specific area will sustain trout.
Besides travel, I don't do many other types of fishing. I used to do a lot of saltwater fly fishing and bass fishing when I was a young man. I might fish now and then in the sea or go bass fishing with my family, but it isn't my passion.
Recently, I have decided to start tanago (micro) fishing. There are places near my home where I can do that. I don't think it is anything like tenkara but it is something I have always wanted to do.
"Do you guys do any other kinds of fishing?"
Shouetsu Goto: Fishing for horse mackerel, kis and gobies in the ocean. In winter, I go smelt fishing.
Adam Trahan: Yuzo Sebata came to America in 1990 and toured the big Western Rivers with a camera crew from Toshiba. They documented his visit fishing the rivers with tenkara while interfacing with fly fishermen from the area. His tenkara is excellent as you know and even back then, he made it look like it was natural to be doing in the rivers.
Twenty years later, the company Tenkara USA was able to sell tenkara rods to the public. The company produced a lot of videos and marketed tenkara. I believe it was the combination of the Internet and the simplicity of this style of fishing that appealed to new fishing customers.
I don't think it was better than Sebata san's introduction, I believe it was different. The timing and the ease of use for people to use their computer's and pull up the content is what helped tenkara get started outside of Japan. Timing is everything, that's what they say and it's really true.
There is more about that but what is important, tenkara is now outside of Japan and it is growing.
"What do you think about that? What do you think about tenkara being practiced outside of Japan?"
Shouetsu Goto: I'm happy that tenkara is becoming popular outside of Japan. And I would like you to change freely without being bound by Japanese traditions and styles. I also want to try tenkara fishing abroad.
Adam Trahan: I like Ayu fishing! But we do not have Ayu here. I like Tanago fishing but we do not have Tanago here. We have species of fish that some of the equipment that was developed specifically for that can be used for our fishing here. But the keiryu equipment (mountain stream fishing) developed in Japan has had the luxury of much more experience and time and lots of resources to develop the best equipment.
Japanese engineering is a testament to improvement.
I like the philosophy that goes along with improvement, Kaizen being one example that can be used to help improve anything including one's own life.
"You have read here how much I like what you do, what the Japanese culture does that I like, is there anything that American tenkara people do that you like? Or is there something that we should be doing?"
Shouetsu Goto: I know Adam loves Japanese culture and tenkara.
Adam Trahan: I was taught to fish by my Grandfather. He did not even like to fish, my Grandmother loved to fish. My Grandfather likes to live by the lake and drive a boat. It was a good arraignment. Before my Grandfather passed away, he helped me develop a "fly" for the catfish in our pond. I was really proud that he was able to see my fly fishing.
"Please tell us who taught you to fish, also, who is influential to your fishing?"
Shouetsu Goto: My father taught me when I was little. At that time, when I was fishing. My father was working in the mountains, so we went fishing in the headwaters.
I started tenkara only 15 years ago, because I admired Yuzo Sebata's style of fishing when I saw the magazine "Keiryu."
After that, I had the chance to go fishing with Mr. Masami Sakakibara and Shinichi Takakuwa.
I saw Mr. Sakakibara fishing and learned the effectiveness of tenkara fishing. I accompanied Mr. Takakuwa and learned how to have fun in the valley.
Adam Trahan: Before I started tenkara, I was making bamboo fly rods. I was making a kind of secret website. We have gathered many great bamboo rod makers from around the world to talk about bamboo fly rod fishing and the secrets of making great rods. For me, I think the best tenkara fishers outside of Japan come from a background in fly fishing.
Occasionally, I pick up one of my self-made rods or a sweet graphite fly rod and toss it out in the garden. We haven't forgotten how to shoot the entire line.
"What do you think of fly fishing compared to Tenkara?"
Shouetsu Goto: I used to fly fish too. I think fishing is a lot of fun. I think it's wonderful that you can learn about aquatic insects and enjoy not only rivers but also lakes and seas.
Some people say that tenkara has an advantage over fly fishing in the Japanese climate, but that doesn't matter. You just have to do what makes you feel like having "fun."
My style of fishing is mountain climbing and sawanobori, so tenkara suits my style because it allows me to prepare and clean up quickly. The tools are also very light and good.
In Japan, there are many headwater anglers who enjoy fly fishing only with dry flies.
Adam Trahan: My first fishing trip to Japan was hosted by Satoshi Miwa, a Japanese biologist. I met Miwa san through my fly-fishing site, smallstreams.com It was shortly after I quit fly fishing to be very good at tenkara. It was a wonderful visit but sort of odd in that my Japanese friend fly fished with me and I did tenkara. He ended up writing a story about how we toured the alps, the Nagano area. He is from Mie prefecture, and it was quite a drive for him. I did visit his area and we went to Iga, the Ninja village as I have a fascination for Ninjutsu. Miwa san ended up doing some translation and hosting of other tenkara fishers. On our trip we also shared a day with Masami Sakakibara on the Itoshiro river. He really tuned the western fly fisher cast out of me and helped me develop my own technique.
On our trip, many new friends were made. I introduced Japanese friends to other Japanese friends not so much on purpose but because I was traveling and being hosted by friends in different areas.
Tenkara seems very special in Japan and I have noticed, it is not as popular as fly fishing.
"Can you tell me about the growth of tenkara in the last ten years and is it becoming more popular?"
Shouetsu Goto: I'm not in the position of a fishing tackle manufacturer or a mass media company such as a magazine, so I can't judge whether tenkara in Japan is becoming more popular or growing.
From the standpoint of a tenkara fan, I feel that the types of rods and tools are decreasing, and the number of shops where you can get them is also decreasing. The fishing magazine itself is getting more and more out of print.
Nowadays, we are in the age of getting goods and information on the Internet, but I don't feel that tenkara's information is increasing.
I'm happy to hear from time to time that they started playing tenkara after watching Genryu Izakaya on YouTube.
Adam Trahan: My visits to Japan are not fishing trips. They are cultural experiences with some fishing.
I understand from my friends in Japan that the old ways are being forgotten. Young people are moving to the cities and with that, the passage of the traditional crafts is being lost.
The bansho that I stayed at in Tadami was old and beautiful. The gasso style home I stayed at in Gokayama was old and very beautiful as well. The techniques that these houses are made with are quite special. The grass roofs need to be replaced and it cannot be done by one person.
In your videos, I see that you and your wife have purchased a home in the country.
"Can you tell us about your home? What are your plans with the Izakaya and anything else you can tell us?"
Shouetsu Goto: The house I bought after moving from Tokyo is located in Toga Village in Nanto City, Toyama Prefecture. Toga Village is part of the Five Mountains, and in the past, there were many Gassho-zukuri. My house is also an old private house that is more than 150 years old, and it used to be made of gassho.
With the help of fishing buddies and YouTube fans, we renovated over the course of a year, started living in April 2022, and were able to open as a tavern in June. All we asked the contractor to do was water and gas, and everything from the foundation under the floor to the floor, walls, and ceiling made it a house with a strong sense of affection that we created with our friends.
Many locals and people who come to fish come to drink.
You can eat dishes that we make on YouTube.
Adam Trahan: I am 61 years old. I enjoy shooting my guns at a target facility. I have some hunting friends that are teaching me about hunting but there is a lottery and I have not won my ticket yet. I can hunt with a bow but I have to learn the bow technique first.
I already do too many things so I will just stick to my guns.
I see that Yoko san hunts.
"Can you tell us about hunting in Japan?"
Shouetsu Goto: Yoko and I hunt. The animals that live here are different depending on the region, and like tenkara, there are various hunting styles. Some people hunt in groups using dogs.
Some people use traps.
We like walking in the mountains, so we like to follow the tracks of beasts, approach them, and confront our prey. I think it's similar to tenkara.
Adam Trahan: The first time I came to Japan was when I was in the Army. We drove the caravan from Yokohama to Camp Fuji Marine Base. I practiced live fire with the Japanese army there. I am very proud to have trained with your military personnel. I am very honored. After living at the foot of Mt. Fuji for about a month, I learned about the weather and atmosphere of Mt. Fuji. I understand that it is a very special place for Japanese people.
"Is there a special tenkara place in Japan? I hear a lot about Kurobe. Can you tell me a special tenkara place?
Shouetsu Goto: I go fishing by myself, so I don't often go to famous places.
Kurobe and Okutone are famous in magazines, and we used to go there a lot, but we lost interest because of the crowds.
Now I'm wandering around looking for the source where no one comes.
Adam Trahan: Shouetsu-san, thank you for helping spread the word of tenkara through my interview readers. Thank you. I first learned about the historical tenkara from Soseki Yamamoto's book. His writings included many tenkara fishermen. Like Mr. Yamamoto, I try to involve as many people as possible in my tenkara coverage.
Shouetsu Goto: I have friends outside of Japan who are interested in tenkara and who understand it. I am very happy to be here. I think they are learning more about Japanese and tenkara culture than us Japanese.
Please continue to do your best to disseminate information overseas.
Thank you very much for this time.
Interview with 後藤陽子 (Goto Yoko)
Photos by 正悦敦賀
The rain is coming down gently this evening. Here in the Sonoran Desert where I live, this is a welcome event. It brings life and color to the desert. The sound of the rain also reminds me of huddling under the tarp at our Tenba on a Genryu trip near Tadami. For now, I am far away from our Interview subject, half the globe away in a climate very different from hers yet Tenkara joins us here, in the middle.
I’ve seen Yoko-san in Headwaters Magazine first. I then started to see her participation in social media with Sebata-san, Takano-san and a few other acquaintances. I have seen pictures of her picking mushrooms, casting a Tenkara rod, catching Iwana and in the last issue of Headwaters, hunting. She is an interesting and knowledgeable outdoors person of interest for our readers and friends.
Lets begin quickly.
I am looking forward to completing this Interview with her.
Adam: Yoko-san, thank you for accepting my request for the Interview. My name is Adam Trahan and I am 56 years old, a husband and a father of three children. I live in Phoenix, Arizona, one of the largest cities in the United States. Like anything that I do, I have studied Tenkara and it has brought me to your country a couple of times now. I’ve interviewed many of your talented and old Tenkara anglers. It pleases me very much that I am able to interview you as well, thank you.
“Can you tell us a little about yourself?”
Goto Yoko: Nice to meet you
My Name is Yoko Goto. Thank you for having me and give me this wonderful opportunity.
I live in Tokyo, the center of Japan, and I usually do the designer for work. I have been in the mountains as climbing, but since I was met Tenkara four years ago, I enjoyed fishing, wild vegetables, mushrooms, hunting and exploring mountain enjoyments.
Every Friday evening, I load stuff to a car and head for mountainous areas around Japan.
Adam: When I visited Japan the last time and stayed with Keiichi Okushi, Yuzo Sebata, Keiji Ito, Masayuki Yamano, Kozue Sanbe and Kazuo Kurahashi at the Tadami bansho. I would have liked to meet you and Tanidoraku Takano. Maybe we can meet sometime in the future? I hope to visit Japan maybe next year if all goes well. I will bring my wife and my youngest son with me to Tokyo and then spend another week up in the mountains with my friends and there, I hope we can meet.
“I’m just curious, do you meet a lot of new Tenkara people from other areas?”
Goto Yoko: When I started Tenkara, there were no friend for fishing. However, I came across to Mr. Sebata, and I was able to meet many surroundings with him for Tenkara. From those connections, through Facebook, I have friend all over in Japan. However, I have never met a Tenkara fisher from overseas in person.
I am looking forward to Adam-san coming to Tokyo.
I hope to see you!
Adam: Very cool! I look forward to meeting you too!
When I started Tenkara, about 8 years ago now, there was nobody in my area doing it. I got my first rod from Daniel at Tenkara USA and then researched Tenkara by making Japanese friends on the Internet. I started representing Sakura in North America and helped set up many people with their first Tenkara rod. I taught them what I knew and it was not hard to understand.
When I came to Japan on my first Tenkara fishing adventure, it was to meet a fly fishing friend but I had already stopped fly fishing and only did Tenkara. My Japanese friend respected Tenkara but he was only fly fishing. He took me to see Masami Sakakibara. Masami was the first Tenkara angler I saw fishing besides the people that I taught Tenkara to. Needless to say, he is very good at it.
“Did someone teach Tenkara to you? Please tell us about your circle of friends. Do you have a lot of Tenkara angler friends?”
Goto Yoko: When I started Tenkara, I did not have a specific mentor.
Tenkara is a difficult fishing to improve without instructed from anyone. I went to classes, or went for fishing of various people and observed how to fish. I went to go anywhere if there was a chance to cast a Tenkara rod. Then, I noticed that the fishing methods of Tenkara are different for each person. I felt there are wide diverse of theories about the line length, hardness, type of line, weight of Kebari, same fishing for each pole.
I met Mr. Sakakibara within such situation. Looking at his fishing at a glance, I decided to call him "the Master". My Master's Tenkara style was wonderful and I love it. I feel there are still much to learn from such a great teacher.
Adam: I have seen very few women Tenkara anglers here in America and that goes for fly fishing as well. Of course there are some but it is a small percentage in comparison to the numbers of men.
In my life, women are equal to men.
The American culture of women has changed over the very short course of the life of our country.
But please realize this, I am interviewing you because you are a great Tenkara angler first. The second reason is because you are a keen outdoors person and a woman.
I think that is important for you to know.
I do many things besides Tenkara. I really enjoy flying gliders, particularly hang glider and paraglider. It is important to note that I was taught to fly by a woman. She was very good at communicating what I needed to know to survive the student learning process and had excellent ability to understand and read the way I learned. Sometimes she would make me repeat simple lessons and other times, just skim through the harder lessons that I found that I may need more time with. She seemed to have intuition in teaching me and I think that women generally have excellent insight into the nature of things.
In my area, I have women friends that are hunters and I understand that you hunt too! I thought that your country had a ban on guns? But I see that Headwaters magazine sometimes features hunting which I enjoy.
I think that women make excellent hunters and fishers because of this intuition.
I’m personally not a hunter but I do like eating the meat that my hunting friends fix or give to me and or the feathers or fur that I get to use for tying my flys.
Anyway…
“Can you tell us about your hunting?”
Goto Yoko: Actually, I came up with hunting before fishing. I was curious about the act of taking living things and eating it. However, having license to use guns is very difficult in Japan. It took quite a while. Before the gun's permission was granted, when I entered the winter mountain for the first time to accompany the hunt, I thought that I had never seen such a beautiful mountain. Whether it is a fish or a beast, the mountains where there are living things are very beautiful and exciting. Of course, it was shocking to me the dead wild boar with blood I saw for the first time, but I was touched by the attitude of the hunter who I admired.
I have just started hunting. I want to gradually add up knowledge of the mountains and want to be like a senior hunter. Current in Japan most younger people not want to be a hunter, but I think I want to be a one who inherits technique of hunting.
Adam: I look at fishing as a great way to spend time in the forest. For me, it’s all about the outdoors and enjoying the serenity of living where people have not made an impact. I lose myself in nature, I’m taken away from the stress of living in the city and bathed in the forest quiet. I lose time while in the forest, a few hours seem like a minute and on the other side, sometimes sneaking up and placing one cast to a big fish may seem like hours when it was only just a couple of minutes. Time is interesting while deep in the forest.
“Do you have any experiences like this?”
Goto Yoko: In a waterfall basine at a creek, I hooked a sinking driftwood. However, when I try to up the rod tip for unhook, I noticed that it was not a driftwood.
It was a very big Iwana.
I felt the vibration of the fish restive came to hand. But a big driftwood was sanked between me and the fish and I could not retrieve the fish easyly. I was desperately thinking how to retrieve it. I thought if I jump into the water like Sanpei (a famus fishing Manga character), I might be able to capture it on the other side of the driftwood. However, I might took too much time, the fish was ran away.
It was such a mysterious time that it was such a short time as it was long. I often remember that I would like to meet that Iwana.
Adam: When I am headed out to fish, I have a couple of different zones that I choose the stream I want to sample. The distance from my home is 100 and 200 miles away. Most of the time I do day trips into these areas, it’s a long day but because of my family, I can do more one day trips than I can spend the night out.
“How do you choose where you want to fish and what is the length of your favorite type of trip?”
Goto Yoko: I change the fishing spot depend on the season. I do not know how it is in overseas, but I can do mountain stream fishing in Japan from March to September. In the March, just after the prohibition period of the season, we will make a day trip to the close by area. It is still cold and I cannot go to high altitudes. Sometimes there are snow falls. When it gets warmer, I will stay at a river and have a bonfire. In the summer, I wear a big backpack and enter the deep mountains. Sometimes it take long as 5 days. There are places I can only go when the snow melt. Summer in the mountain is so short and not so many opportunities.
When I came to Japan on my first Tenkara fishing adventure, it was to meet a fly fishing friend but I had already stopped fly fishing and only did Tenkara. My Japanese friend respected Tenkara but he was only fly fishing. He took me to see Masami Sakakibara. Masami was the first Tenkara angler I saw fishing besides the people that I taught Tenkara to. Needless to say, he is very good at it.
“Did someone teach Tenkara to you? Please tell us about your circle of friends. Do you have a lot of Tenkara angler friends?”
Goto Yoko: When I started Tenkara, I did not have a specific mentor.
Tenkara is a difficult fishing to improve without instructed from anyone. I went to classes, or went for fishing of various people and observed how to fish. I went to go anywhere if there was a chance to cast a Tenkara rod. Then, I noticed that the fishing methods of Tenkara are different for each person. I felt there are wide diverse of theories about the line length, hardness, type of line, weight of Kebari, same fishing for each pole.
I met Mr. Sakakibara within such situation. Looking at his fishing at a glance, I decided to call him "the Master". My Master's Tenkara style was wonderful and I love it. I feel there are still much to learn from such a great teacher.
Adam: I have seen very few women Tenkara anglers here in America and that goes for fly fishing as well. Of course there are some but it is a small percentage in comparison to the numbers of men.
In my life, women are equal to men.
The American culture of women has changed over the very short course of the life of our country.
But please realize this, I am interviewing you because you are a great Tenkara angler first. The second reason is because you are a keen outdoors person and a woman.
I think that is important for you to know.
I do many things besides Tenkara. I really enjoy flying gliders, particularly hang glider and paraglider. It is important to note that I was taught to fly by a woman. She was very good at communicating what I needed to know to survive the student learning process and had excellent ability to understand and read the way I learned. Sometimes she would make me repeat simple lessons and other times, just skim through the harder lessons that I found that I may need more time with. She seemed to have intuition in teaching me and I think that women generally have excellent insight into the nature of things.
In my area, I have women friends that are hunters and I understand that you hunt too! I thought that your country had a ban on guns? But I see that Headwaters magazine sometimes features hunting which I enjoy.
I think that women make excellent hunters and fishers because of this intuition.
I’m personally not a hunter but I do like eating the meat that my hunting friends fix or give to me and or the feathers or fur that I get to use for tying my flys.
Anyway…
“Can you tell us about your hunting?”
Goto Yoko: Actually, I came up with hunting before fishing. I was curious about the act of taking living things and eating it. However, having license to use guns is very difficult in Japan. It took quite a while. Before the gun's permission was granted, when I entered the winter mountain for the first time to accompany the hunt, I thought that I had never seen such a beautiful mountain. Whether it is a fish or a beast, the mountains where there are living things are very beautiful and exciting. Of course, it was shocking to me the dead wild boar with blood I saw for the first time, but I was touched by the attitude of the hunter who I admired.
I have just started hunting. I want to gradually add up knowledge of the mountains and want to be like a senior hunter. Current in Japan most younger people not want to be a hunter, but I think I want to be a one who inherits technique of hunting.
Adam: I look at fishing as a great way to spend time in the forest. For me, it’s all about the outdoors and enjoying the serenity of living where people have not made an impact. I lose myself in nature, I’m taken away from the stress of living in the city and bathed in the forest quiet. I lose time while in the forest, a few hours seem like a minute and on the other side, sometimes sneaking up and placing one cast to a big fish may seem like hours when it was only just a couple of minutes. Time is interesting while deep in the forest.
“Do you have any experiences like this?”
Goto Yoko: In a waterfall basine at a creek, I hooked a sinking driftwood. However, when I try to up the rod tip for unhook, I noticed that it was not a driftwood.
It was a very big Iwana.
I felt the vibration of the fish restive came to hand. But a big driftwood was sanked between me and the fish and I could not retrieve the fish easyly. I was desperately thinking how to retrieve it. I thought if I jump into the water like Sanpei (a famus fishing Manga character), I might be able to capture it on the other side of the driftwood. However, I might took too much time, the fish was ran away.
It was such a mysterious time that it was such a short time as it was long. I often remember that I would like to meet that Iwana.
Adam: When I am headed out to fish, I have a couple of different zones that I choose the stream I want to sample. The distance from my home is 100 and 200 miles away. Most of the time I do day trips into these areas, it’s a long day but because of my family, I can do more one day trips than I can spend the night out.
“How do you choose where you want to fish and what is the length of your favorite type of trip?”
Goto Yoko: I change the fishing spot depend on the season. I do not know how it is in overseas, but I can do mountain stream fishing in Japan from March to September. In the March, just after the prohibition period of the season, we will make a day trip to the close by area. It is still cold and I cannot go to high altitudes. Sometimes there are snow falls. When it gets warmer, I will stay at a river and have a bonfire. In the summer, I wear a big backpack and enter the deep mountains. Sometimes it take long as 5 days. There are places I can only go when the snow melt. Summer in the mountain is so short and not so many opportunities.
In fall, I aim for big fish to swim upstream.
I like all kinds of fishing that catches to the change of nature in the four seasons.
Adam: This year I am going to refocus my energy on lightening my backpack taking only the lightest gear and focusing on what I need rather than what I want to use. Over the years, I have backpacked with all sorts of different approaches that worked yet the experiences did not sustain an efficient path that made my backpacking easier.
Let me explain a little.
When I was younger, I was in the Army and I lived outdoors quite a bit using only what I was told to carry. My pack was heavy with durable items that were not designed for lightness. The equipment was designed for durability, it worked but was very heavy. I hiked many miles and lived outdoors in the jungle and in the forest but the movement was not enjoyable. I enjoyed my time at rest but movement was difficult at best.
As I returned to civillian life, I was able to choose my equipment and the important lessons I learned outdoors in the Army were at the center of my decisions. I had to develop my own style, my own look at living outside. My approach toward backpacking was filtered through the experience of the Army and I was having difficulty in removing myself from that philosophy of equipment choices. I did not have the understanding of a light and free look at living in the outdoors.
Eight years ago (2009) I switched from fly fishing to Tenkara. Already I was on the path to simplify my fly fishing. It was one of the reasons why I wanted to learn a deeper level of fishing and living outdoors, it was desireable to me, learning efficiency much quicker.
“The more you know, the less you need.”
To sum it up, Tenkara helped me focus more deeply on what was important through knowledge and it helped keep focus on what was more important. Tenkara has helped me filter my approach in more ways than just fishing.
Having a Tenkara focus has been a great lesson for me, a lesson in efficiency.
“Yoko-san, can you tell us a little bit about your approach to the outdoors and why you choose Tenkara?”
Goto Yoko: When I started fishing, I had a lot of choices for Fishing, lure, fly fishing, ocean fishing, etc. I tried some of them and I was sick of the complexity of the tools.
In such a case, I was surprised to know the ultimate simple fishing named Tenkara. It was exactly the ideal fishing for me. The more I examine it, the more I understand the charm of Tenkara. Since I started Tenkara, I have not done much other fishing.
Another thing, I think that the attraction of Tenkara is close distance to fish. Especially in mountain streams, there are chance when you drop Kebari from behind while looking at fish, and hooked fish vibration directly comes to hand through line and pole. Unlike fishing tackle with reel, if you make a mistake in direction or angle, it will be brake a line in a moment.
It is regretful at that time, but I will go out for fishing again soon.
Adam: I have been to Japan now three times, once when I was young in the Army and twice now for fishing since I have learned Tenkara. For me, Tenkara is Japanese fly fishing and it represents a little more than just fishing, it represents efficiency as I have described it above.
As far as the outdoors go, I have favorite areas that I enjoy visiting. My home state of Arizona is very diverse and it is beautiful. I live in the desert and I travel to the mountains and streams to live for a little while in the cooler climate to enjoy the outdoors.
I like all kinds of fishing that catches to the change of nature in the four seasons.
Adam: This year I am going to refocus my energy on lightening my backpack taking only the lightest gear and focusing on what I need rather than what I want to use. Over the years, I have backpacked with all sorts of different approaches that worked yet the experiences did not sustain an efficient path that made my backpacking easier.
Let me explain a little.
When I was younger, I was in the Army and I lived outdoors quite a bit using only what I was told to carry. My pack was heavy with durable items that were not designed for lightness. The equipment was designed for durability, it worked but was very heavy. I hiked many miles and lived outdoors in the jungle and in the forest but the movement was not enjoyable. I enjoyed my time at rest but movement was difficult at best.
As I returned to civillian life, I was able to choose my equipment and the important lessons I learned outdoors in the Army were at the center of my decisions. I had to develop my own style, my own look at living outside. My approach toward backpacking was filtered through the experience of the Army and I was having difficulty in removing myself from that philosophy of equipment choices. I did not have the understanding of a light and free look at living in the outdoors.
Eight years ago (2009) I switched from fly fishing to Tenkara. Already I was on the path to simplify my fly fishing. It was one of the reasons why I wanted to learn a deeper level of fishing and living outdoors, it was desireable to me, learning efficiency much quicker.
“The more you know, the less you need.”
To sum it up, Tenkara helped me focus more deeply on what was important through knowledge and it helped keep focus on what was more important. Tenkara has helped me filter my approach in more ways than just fishing.
Having a Tenkara focus has been a great lesson for me, a lesson in efficiency.
“Yoko-san, can you tell us a little bit about your approach to the outdoors and why you choose Tenkara?”
Goto Yoko: When I started fishing, I had a lot of choices for Fishing, lure, fly fishing, ocean fishing, etc. I tried some of them and I was sick of the complexity of the tools.
In such a case, I was surprised to know the ultimate simple fishing named Tenkara. It was exactly the ideal fishing for me. The more I examine it, the more I understand the charm of Tenkara. Since I started Tenkara, I have not done much other fishing.
Another thing, I think that the attraction of Tenkara is close distance to fish. Especially in mountain streams, there are chance when you drop Kebari from behind while looking at fish, and hooked fish vibration directly comes to hand through line and pole. Unlike fishing tackle with reel, if you make a mistake in direction or angle, it will be brake a line in a moment.
It is regretful at that time, but I will go out for fishing again soon.
Adam: I have been to Japan now three times, once when I was young in the Army and twice now for fishing since I have learned Tenkara. For me, Tenkara is Japanese fly fishing and it represents a little more than just fishing, it represents efficiency as I have described it above.
As far as the outdoors go, I have favorite areas that I enjoy visiting. My home state of Arizona is very diverse and it is beautiful. I live in the desert and I travel to the mountains and streams to live for a little while in the cooler climate to enjoy the outdoors.
I visit Colorado, one state away and it is an area that has many high mountains and streams of all different kinds. I travel regularly to Colorado and I must say, from what I have seen in Japan, Colorado is a special place that I am drawn to. It is so beautiful, the mountains there are always calling me to come visit. I answer that urge to go there regularly and I have learned that everything that I need is right there in Colorado.
Of course my own mountains in Arizona has all that I need but I have explored my state so much, I like to travel a little bit for new adventures.
“Is there a place where you desire to go that has all of the things you need in an outdoor experience?”
Goto Yoko: Before I started Tenkara, I liked traveling abroad. I did trekking overseas as well.
However, my idea had changed, starting with Tenkara four years ago. I noticed that Japan is very interesting place.
The diversity of mountain streams in Japan impossible be known to the best even if I have a lifetime.
There are countless unexplored hidden stills in the mountains. I am going to various places in Japan and fishing now. I think this fun will continue in the future.
Adam: I have collected quite a bit of Japanese Tenkara books. Along with those books, I have also collected many Tenkara videos. I really like what Kazuya Shimoda has done with his books and videos and I am very impressed with Yuzo Sebata. I was very fortunate to spend time with him this last year in September. I have seen him in many books by Yamamoto Soseki and he has written his own books and created videos as well. I think of all the Tenkara Anglers in Japan that are well known, it is Sebata-san that I see as the iconic Japanese Tenkara Ambassador. His video of him fishing the Western rivers in America so long ago, well, it’s just the icing on the cake for me.
“I see that you have spent time wish Sebata-san, can you tell us a little bit about what you have learned from him? Maybe a story about him?”
Goto Yoko: I was very lucky, as soon as I started Tenkara, I met Mr. Sebata and got a wonderful opportunity to accompany with him to fishing. Actually, however, no one caught any fish in the party. At that time, what I learned from Mr. Sebata was all of the stream. How to put a tarp, how to raise a bonfire, how to cook rice, how to eat the wild vegetation's growing on the stream side. "Seta House" made by spreading a blue sheet was very beautiful and comfortable. He gathered the twigs around tarp and quickly raised the fire. I was a beginner and surprised, the scale kept falling from my eyes. (Do you understand Japanese proverb "Scales fall from the eyes"? - actually it is English expressions) I enjoyed the all of funs of river at that fishing trip.
“I think it is only fair to ask you if you have any questions for me? Please feel free to ask me any question you like. Thank you very much.”
Goto Yoko: In Japan there are few people fishing in Tenkara, but I heard that overseas are getting popular recently.
What kind of image do you have about fishing in Japan and Tenkara?
Adam: Yoshikazu Fujioka and I have been friends since he was making his web site on his favorite streams in 1996. Through our common love of fly fishing small streams, I already knew about the type of streams you have in Japan. Another friend, Satoshi Miwa and I have a friendship and we shared our interests in fishing streams too. He had shown me many streams that I desired to fish. So I think my image was pretty accurate.
I visited in 2013 and in 2016, many different streams and mountains with lots of friends. I visited Masami Sakakibara in 2013 to understand a deeper level of tenkara and Keiichi Okushi (Yuzo Sebata and friends) in Tadami in 2016. Through my visits, I have introduced many people in Japan to new and lasting friendships. It is nothing less than amazing but it is not me, it is this old style of fishing. Tenkara is truly a unique way of fishing, travel and meeting many new friends.
Now I am sharing your story of tenkara fishing.
I only want others to understand how beautiful Japan is and pay tribute to tenkara's country of origin.
Adam: I have many many more things to ask you, I see you on social media fishing Tenkara and just having so much fun on a mountain stream. I want to thank you for sharing your time with us.
“Please use this opportunity to tell us anything you want to.”
Thank you Goto Yoko, I appreciate your participation.
Goto Yoko: I started fishing because I wanted to take a living creature by myself and eat it. In Japan, there were professional fisherman who used to live for fish Iwana, they are my longing. There is no longer have that occupation anymore, but their fishing methods "Tenkara" are still left now. Of course, I am releaseing most of the fish now, but I think it will be a wonderful experience what to catch living things to eat by own. There are not many female anglers, but I want many women to have such like experiences.
Mountains show me different expressions if I chase a deer with gun than summer fishing.
Mountains playing is deeper than I may imagine, I guess.
Thank you for having me and give this wonderful opportunity.
Of course my own mountains in Arizona has all that I need but I have explored my state so much, I like to travel a little bit for new adventures.
“Is there a place where you desire to go that has all of the things you need in an outdoor experience?”
Goto Yoko: Before I started Tenkara, I liked traveling abroad. I did trekking overseas as well.
However, my idea had changed, starting with Tenkara four years ago. I noticed that Japan is very interesting place.
The diversity of mountain streams in Japan impossible be known to the best even if I have a lifetime.
There are countless unexplored hidden stills in the mountains. I am going to various places in Japan and fishing now. I think this fun will continue in the future.
Adam: I have collected quite a bit of Japanese Tenkara books. Along with those books, I have also collected many Tenkara videos. I really like what Kazuya Shimoda has done with his books and videos and I am very impressed with Yuzo Sebata. I was very fortunate to spend time with him this last year in September. I have seen him in many books by Yamamoto Soseki and he has written his own books and created videos as well. I think of all the Tenkara Anglers in Japan that are well known, it is Sebata-san that I see as the iconic Japanese Tenkara Ambassador. His video of him fishing the Western rivers in America so long ago, well, it’s just the icing on the cake for me.
“I see that you have spent time wish Sebata-san, can you tell us a little bit about what you have learned from him? Maybe a story about him?”
Goto Yoko: I was very lucky, as soon as I started Tenkara, I met Mr. Sebata and got a wonderful opportunity to accompany with him to fishing. Actually, however, no one caught any fish in the party. At that time, what I learned from Mr. Sebata was all of the stream. How to put a tarp, how to raise a bonfire, how to cook rice, how to eat the wild vegetation's growing on the stream side. "Seta House" made by spreading a blue sheet was very beautiful and comfortable. He gathered the twigs around tarp and quickly raised the fire. I was a beginner and surprised, the scale kept falling from my eyes. (Do you understand Japanese proverb "Scales fall from the eyes"? - actually it is English expressions) I enjoyed the all of funs of river at that fishing trip.
“I think it is only fair to ask you if you have any questions for me? Please feel free to ask me any question you like. Thank you very much.”
Goto Yoko: In Japan there are few people fishing in Tenkara, but I heard that overseas are getting popular recently.
What kind of image do you have about fishing in Japan and Tenkara?
Adam: Yoshikazu Fujioka and I have been friends since he was making his web site on his favorite streams in 1996. Through our common love of fly fishing small streams, I already knew about the type of streams you have in Japan. Another friend, Satoshi Miwa and I have a friendship and we shared our interests in fishing streams too. He had shown me many streams that I desired to fish. So I think my image was pretty accurate.
I visited in 2013 and in 2016, many different streams and mountains with lots of friends. I visited Masami Sakakibara in 2013 to understand a deeper level of tenkara and Keiichi Okushi (Yuzo Sebata and friends) in Tadami in 2016. Through my visits, I have introduced many people in Japan to new and lasting friendships. It is nothing less than amazing but it is not me, it is this old style of fishing. Tenkara is truly a unique way of fishing, travel and meeting many new friends.
Now I am sharing your story of tenkara fishing.
I only want others to understand how beautiful Japan is and pay tribute to tenkara's country of origin.
Adam: I have many many more things to ask you, I see you on social media fishing Tenkara and just having so much fun on a mountain stream. I want to thank you for sharing your time with us.
“Please use this opportunity to tell us anything you want to.”
Thank you Goto Yoko, I appreciate your participation.
Goto Yoko: I started fishing because I wanted to take a living creature by myself and eat it. In Japan, there were professional fisherman who used to live for fish Iwana, they are my longing. There is no longer have that occupation anymore, but their fishing methods "Tenkara" are still left now. Of course, I am releaseing most of the fish now, but I think it will be a wonderful experience what to catch living things to eat by own. There are not many female anglers, but I want many women to have such like experiences.
Mountains show me different expressions if I chase a deer with gun than summer fishing.
Mountains playing is deeper than I may imagine, I guess.
Thank you for having me and give this wonderful opportunity.
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