Some of you might have stumbled on to the recent tenkara litigation (maybe the first in the history of the ancient sport). While I knew about it some time ago, I decided not to write about it for a variety of reasons. But this case did spark an online dialogue that piqued my interest about one thing: competition.
When I first started tenkara fishing, there were basically one or two companies from which you could buy gear. Now, glance over to the right of this post in the ‘Tenkara Gear Sellers” section in my sidebar and you’ll see 20+ companies. In just a few short years, tenkara has exploded commercially. Some have complained that tenkara is getting too big, but I see this as a good thing. For everyone.
Yes, for everyone. Even the companies that are competing against each other. But first let me say why I think it’s better for people like you and me…
This is probably pretty obvious but competition creates more choices, and as a general rule, consumers tend to like having choices. I can’t think of a thriving industry where there is a complete monopoly. Another advantage is pricing. Competition keeps businesses in check and promotes fair prices. If there were literally only one tenkara company, they’d be able to take advantage of the lack of competition, and gouge their customers. It would be like the $7 hot dog from the concession stand at the baseball stadium. When you’re the only game in town, why not charge exorbitant prices?
Every business owner’s dream is probably to have zero competition, but I think whether they know it or not, competition is a good thing for them as well. Competition keeps companies on their toes and drives innovation. It forces gear makers (well, the savvy ones), to continually design better products and improve their services which makes them stand out. It probably also forces them to become more efficient in their operations which will ultimately save them money. To be profitable, gear companies can’t be lazy. And you absolutely can’t be lazy when you have competition. If there were a tenkara monopoly, there would be nothing to prevent them from offering mediocre products year after year and back them up with customer service reminiscent of the DMV. This would not make their customers very happy and they would probably fail pretty quickly.
So while some might lament the good old days when tenkara was small and you could call up a tenkara gear company and the owner would answer, I think we need to realize that this was inevitable. And (probably) for the best.
Interesting article Jason. I can’t speak for most but on your last point, when you call Tenkara-Fishing you do still get the owner.
I blundered into some “buy from China” site, and typed in “tenkara” out of curiosity. I got back several manufacturers willing to sell me dozens of rods. The cat is definitely out of the bag in China.
I completely agree With you on this one Jason. Competition is good to keep the prices in check and to improve the available equipment. The more people are thinking about tenkara, the more you get exposed to different point of views as well. And in the end we will all learn and benifit from that.
Chris Hendriks
Chris Hendriks Fishing – Experiences
http://www.tenkara-norway.com
http://www.europeantenkaraconvention.com
^^wait….really! I called you guys or emailed once (don’t remember which) to ask about one of your rods! So I was talking to the owner? CRAZY!
and Competition is good for everyone! You always have to strive greater!
The idea that Daniel “single-handedly introduced Japanese-style telescoping, fixed-line fly rods to the west” is a little over the top, eh? Yes, he’s done a good job with his brand, but the guy does not OWN Tenkara as a style of fishing. He does not get to define what it is and he does not get to be the only authority on all fishing with a fixed line. Look, we’re not talking about something that is very complicated…its a carbon fiber stick. How much R&D can really go into it? Daniel, put your money into building your brand instead of attacking no-name people that want to put their name on a stick that is similar to yours. Focus on service and value and you will do better in the long run.
Hi Fat,
To dismiss tenkara rods as “carbon sticks” is a little unfair I think. A lot of thought and testing does go into the taper design and choice of materials. I know first hand that Daniel does put a lot of effort into design because I’ve seen some of his prototypes. I think an added benefit of competition for consumers is that it will ultimately sort out the companies that buy cheap, mass produced rods and just slap their logo on them from the ones that actually invest in R & D to produce better rods.
Competition is good for the consumer, generally.
Looking at the world of Tenkara, a lot of the sites are doing a lot of the same thing. There is, in most cases, an appeal to validity–referencing a date when they discovered Tenkara etc. There is also some beating up on the big guy, be it snark or compliments that really aren’t. And then there is a bunch of very similar stuff for sale. But that’s the nature of the sport–not much to it.
That’s what we all love about it. Right?
Time will weed out the hobbyist from eventual players. Today the risk is small with mainly only internet storefronts. The real big moves will come when we start seeing brick and mortar stores pop up.
I can’t find a fly in Austin, TX, with a reverse hackle, but we only have two fly shops. Buying a vise this weekend . . .
Indeed it has pushed us quite a bit in terms of creating new products…though I also enjoyed doing that before competition existed. It has kept us on our toes on many fronts. Honest competition is good.
Well, maybe he does own it. After all, he “may be the best mountain stream angler around.” 🙂 http://about.me/danielgalhardo
Daniel, if you’re reading this, I’m just funnin’ you.
Since I posted poking a little with Daniel, it’s only fair to add: I’m very thankful for his business. Without him I would not have discovered Tenkara when I did. And it has become a passion of mine. He invested his time and money before there was really a market – that takes guts and I admire it. I own several TUSA rods and enjoy them. In fact, I’m heading out the door to fish my Ito (the REAL one), right now.
Keep it up Daniel.
Tenkara has moved beyond the introduction of a new sport. This is the dawn of a new industry in the West.
This is really not new to tenkara, it is just new to tenkara in the West. Take a look at the tenkara industry in Japan. This type of competition has been going on for a several decades there.
When you look at the newest rods, lines, and accessories from companies like Shimano, Nissin, and Diawa, all these manufacturers are building some really cool stuff. 2013 is a very innovative product year for these companies. Uber light weight rods, very high performance and specialized pieces of gear. All that innovation comes from healthy market competition.
Innovation cannot exist in a vacuum.
Many (dare I say…) Americans, have a misunderstanding of Darwin’s “Survival of the fittest” There has been a bastardization of what Darwin was referring to with the term. We seem to have projected our American exceptionalism as a myth onto the world of business about “dominating markets” and we tell ourselves that “the strongest will always win out.” However The truth about nature is that it works best when it cooperates and it actually keeps itself in balance through competition.Competition should not be the goal but kind of a side-effect. In the business world competition translates, as Jason said, into fair pricing.
An interesting example of this is the craft brew companies. They have figured out that they can collaborate and create a short run unified product that they can both sell and through that elevate and promote each others companies. These short run collaborations are profitable, raise the quality and industry for everyone.
The hierarchy of the natural world is competitive mainly in a food chain manner. I am in an unusual business as well. I am a magician. There are roughly a dozen or so competitors here in the Denver market. Of which there are only a small percentage of those that I would even consider as my competitors. Guess who I send my overflow work to in referrals? Yup the better guys in town. I work with them and not against them. They in turn also send me work. These kinds of partnerships in business where “competitors” are friendly to each other thrive. Do I strive to be the top guy in town? To a degree that would be nice but let that happen through my quality of work (product), reputation for professionalism and customer loyalty.
Competition should be what drives innovation and should not be anything in business than a secondary afterthought or side effect of industry and removing it should never be the focus. What is the saying? “A rising tide lifts all boats.”
Hi Jason –
My ability to keep up with ‘all things Tenkara’ in the last few years has been mostly limited to your blog post emails, and sometimes I jump over and read a bit of Chris’s. As one of the earliest buyers I was really impressed with my results and Daniel was too, especially since I immediately ‘did it all wrong’ – ie…using my rod from a canoe and in warm water! I enjoy it as much today as I did then. Work and life changed (not a bad thing mind you) and so was lost a great deal of my fishing time on the water, or at the online forums/sites.
Your viewpoints on competition are all true, but since I have my original Yamame and the T-USA stickers on my canoe…lol…I guess I am still a happy camper with my rod during the sub 20 days a year I get to fish it anymore. My Yamame landed a nice hybrid, a few bass, and some decent bluegill on a trip last weekend – it’s just a wonderfully effective method! Silent, simple, and sure!
I have cast a few other rods….no names from China and *bay, as well as other rods from the ‘newer top level manufacturers’ of Tenkara rods….and to my simple tastes…I like the way the Daniel put it all together for our market the best…so I stick with it.
We are Blessed to be in this age of ‘Tenkara enlightenment’ – and whether we thank Daniel for being the first or we appreciate the others who jumped on and contributed so much to the growth of Tenkara in the west; especially the usa, there is SO much still to do!
Tenkara itself is so wonderfully simple and many times produces far more successful results! Certainly the more people that are exposed to Tenkara, the more people will become fans of fishing – and that’s a great thing for ALL of fishing!
Yes, competition is good to a certain point, and I’m glad that there are more choices out there but, is not Tenkara about simplicity. I go to many sites that sell products and get completely lost with the huge, if not exaggerated, choices of rods and lines.
I would say that TenkaraUSA, i.e., Daniel Galhardo, was the first to make Tenkara be known in this country. I’m sure that many anglers before him were already fishing with this modality, but Daniel with an incredible passion put it out there. I remember when I read an article on Tenkara in Trout Unlimited magazine. I re-read it and wanted to give it a try. I went to the only source mentioned in the article at that time, TenkaraUSA, and watched Daniel’s videos and his products, got my Ayu, and although I also fly fish Western style, I always bring my Ayu with me. Sometimes I get more fish with the Ayu (I’ve fish sea runs and once an steelhead).
I completely agree with Daniel. Competition is not necessarily good, only honest competition is.
I don’t think fair competition is bad, but I haven’t bought that much just an Amago and a 12 Iwana, and tying supplies from the “bum”. I found my own level line from my own testing and it is from a well known American line maker. As a fly fisherman for over 50 years I don’t buy into any religious correlations. Fishing is fishing, getting out and seeing nature, maybe eating some of the catch. Those that think Tenkara is more than “fishing” OK think that if it makes you happy, BUT support those that brought Tenkara to you. Don’t be like those that go to a fly, gun, bicycle, camping shop, waste their time. pick their brains then buy form Wally World because of the cost.
Im a firm believer in the capitalist system, competition is good for everyone. I have said it before, but the things that keep me going back to tenkara USA has nothing to do with their product. not that I dont like their product, I think it really is one of the best available and I have tried quite a few of the other offerings. but what keeps me supporting tenkara usa is Daniel’s dedication to the blog, the fact that he takes his time to travel to japan and learn from those more experienced than him, then comes back and shares that information with us, as well as putting it towards the design of his rods, is what keeps me coming back. lets face it, if it wasnt for Daniel I wouldnt know a fraction of what I know now about tenkara, (if at all) and for me that equates into brand loyalty for tenkaraUSA. offering me a great product is one thing. offering me free knowledge means I will gravitate towards your product always. its as simple as that and also one of the reasons I spend so much time on this blog 🙂 thanks Jason
Honest competition is good as long as the participants are competing on a level playing field. Unfortunately, unscrupulous and dishonest people always get involved and bring down quality and value of the final product for everyone. I’ve seen this in service and product industries over and over.
Huh?
I am glad I am not on your list Jason. I represent a traditional line of Japanese Tenkara rods that pre-dates almost all of your logos. I’ve been selling them for some time and I’m really happy that I was not included in your list.
Competition is a business thing, Tenkara is not.
Two different things.
Daniel did introduce Tenkara to the West. All the people who are someone in Tenkara share each other’s stoke and for what I have seen, own a rod or two of another company AND will share that fact with each other.
It is about community.
When I read someone’s choice is a better choice than others, then I look the other way. It’s about choices. Some people will make good choices and others will offer a wide variety of good choices.
I saw those rods that were exactly like Daniel’s rods and if I were Daniel, I would be protecting my business. That was a total rip off. I am not a politically correct person so sorry if I offend some company.
I also do not enjoy sensational reporting.
If you want fly fishing, then with this competition thing, we are headed in that direction.
Adam, wow. I always appreciate your replies but sometimes, I just don’t understand them. Can you elaborate in plain English? Please spell out stuff like what you mean when you say people “own tenkara” Also, what “logos” are you referring to? And “somebody’s choice”? And where exactly does “sensational reporting” come into this discussion? Sorry, but you’ve got me at a loss. You mention these things but I just don’t know what you’re talking about. Some elaboration would be appreciated. 🙂
To Fat: Daniel absolutely owns Tenkara, completely.
I am quiet sure he would school you on the stream, yes, he owns it.
Many of us own it.
What he has done, pivot point in fly fishing, Tenkara, fixed line fly fishing, he is an original seed.
Owns it.
We are sort of even Jason because sometimes I don’t understand the choices you make in your reporting and your responses to people. I don’t understand a lot of people but I stopped trying a long time ago, it wastes too much energy.
When I started Tenkara fishing, there was a world of Tenkara gear already for sale, you just had to look for it a little bit harder than one or two clicks. I taught people at my web site to get gear from Japan and finally people like Chris Stewart and others finally caught up. So I don’t understand you when you say that there were only a couple of business that you could purchase from because it is just not true.
There was already a business of Tenkara, a huge business, a world of choices in equipment, you just had to click a few more times and maybe send a couple of e-mails and trust people in Japan.
I guess it depends on your perspective, where you are coming from. I am writing this from my hotel room in Tokyo after visiting a few shops that have had Tenkara gear for many many years. I just spoke with a gentleman that owns a business that has been selling Tenkara gear for probably longer than anyone in the world…
But I will try to clarify a bit because I think you are a good guy.
“Getting owned…” is a young people’s term for someone dominating over you.
You posted a picture of logo’s attached to business that are in competition with each other.
You made a “choice” to report on Tenkara competitive business practice with a mention to litigation which I think is a little bit of sensationalist reporting.
I really hope you don’t take my reply as combative towards you, it is not, I just have a different perspective on Tenkara than you do.
All good, take care.
Hi Adam,
No I don’t. It’s just that you and I have very different writing styles and I just wanted clarification. I don’t want to misinterpret your comments the way I have with some in the past. And you’re right. Everyone has different perspectives.
On the logos…that was just a representative sampling. It wasn’t meant to be comprehensive. Can people still buy tenkara rods from you?
Enjoy your adventure in Japan! Looking forward to reading about it.
Of course, nothing has changed for me. I represent an old line of Japanese Tenkara rods. I have sold many to customers around the world, a great representation of a Tenkara rod however there are many good Tenkara rods out there. I use one you use, an Oni rod from my Master.
Thank you for being you.