Cover story “Sensing & Creating”

To catch a herabuna: Wa-style

Text: Toshiya Muraoka
Photos: Taro Hirano

Mainstream carp rods nowadays are made from carbon fiber, but only fifty years ago, these rods used to exclusively be made from bamboo. “There’s no such thing as a good or bad rod. All that matters is whether or not the rod is suited to its user. What else could matter for an object meant to bring enjoyment?” Such is what a master craftsman of kishuzao rods, a practice which has over a hundred years of history, told me at his store in Wakayama Prefecture, the only place where kishuzao rods are made. The mountains nearby, which raise the bamboo to make the rods, are protected by the local people who need them as a valuable part of their everyday lives. These rods exist thanks to our relationship with nature, and it was a fascinating experience to learn more about them and herabuna carp fishing.

Subsequence Magazine vol.8
“A Sense of Something” Issue

The theme for this issue is “A Sense of Something.”  In society today we are constantly expected and being asked to achieve our goals in a “quick, easy, and cheap” way.  We wanted to take the opportunity to reconsider the things that can perhaps be discovered through a more daily or regulated routine, something that can only be felt from a gradual accumulation, to think about the meaning of taking your time to approach your intended destination without taking any shortcuts.  This issue was put together with these sorts of thoughts in mind. 

Please visit the “Magazine” page for further details about the upcoming contents.