About Tenkara USA
Tenkara USA was founded in 2009 by Daniel W. Galhardo and is based in Boulder, Colorado. It was the first company to sell tenkara rods outside Japan. Galhardo came across tenkara in 2007 while researching the history of fishing in Japan, saw it fished on a 2008 visit, and left a career in international banking in March 2009 to launch the company the following month. It remains independent, and its stated approach is to pass on the Japanese fixed-line method as practised there rather than rework it; rod development draws on time the founder spends fishing with Japanese tenkara anglers.
The catalog is eight telescopic graphite rods, all fished without a reel. Three are Triple Zoom designs that lock at three fishing lengths: the Rhodo (8'10" to 10'6") for small brushy streams, the Sato (10'8" to 12'9"), the company's best seller and its default recommendation, and the Satoki (10'8" to 13'7"), a stronger Sato for larger fish and water. The Ito zooms between 13' and 14'7" and is the longest rod in the range. Fixed-length rods cover the compact end: the Ukiyo (9'10", 14.5 in closed), Yama (11', 16 in closed) and Hane (10'10", 15 in closed) are built for backpacking, and the Iwana (12') is the value all-rounder that dates to the original lineup. Rods weigh 2.0 to 4.1 oz. The Ukiyo and Yama use an integral graphite swell grip in place of a cork or foam handle.
Every rod carries a lifetime warranty backed by a replacement-parts program, and the company donates at least 1% of sales to fish-habitat organizations. Rods sell direct, through a dealer network and a guide network. Galhardo wrote "tenkara - the book", and the company publishes Tenkara Magazine and a podcast.
What Tenkara USA is known for
The Sato is the flagship: a 2.9 oz Triple Zoom rod fished at 10'8", 11'10" or 12'9" that the company recommends when a buyer wants one rod for everything. The Iwana 12' is the entry point and the model that carried tenkara outside Japan in 2009; the Hane is the compact adventure rod. The Ito (13' / 14'7") and Satoki add backbone for fish over 17 in and for open water, while the Rhodo, Ukiyo and Yama cover tight streams and pack-size priorities. The brand is known for introducing tenkara to the US market, for its Keep Your Plug and Triple Zoom features, and for its customer service and lifetime warranty. In this catalog it sits alongside the Japanese tenkara makers Nissin, Suntech and Shimano.