Masami Sakakibara (AKA Tenkara no Oni) is coming to the U.S. next month for the first ever Oni Tenkara School! In case you don’t know, Tenkara no Oni is widely regarded as the most skilled tenkara caster in the world and has a huge following in Japan. This is an unprecedented event and a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to learn from a living legend (unless you want to travel to Japan).
The class will focus on both intermediate and advanced tenkara techniques over the course of 3 days; June 13-15 in Salt Lake City and is sponsored by the Tenkara Guides. While most of us probably learned the majority of what we know about tenkara online, there is no substitute for hands-on training with a true expert. For the price of a couple of tenkara rods, you will gain a lifetime of knowledge.
Space is limited to 20 people and at the time I’m writing this, I happen to know there are only a few slots left, so sign up now to guarantee your spot. For more information and to register, visit the Tenkara Guides website.
Jason:
You going?
Jim, I wish. But I have to be at a conference for work.
The attendees to the class must be stunned into silence. I’ve not seen a single thumbnail sized report anywhere about how the class met or exceeded expectations, or failed to do so. Please tell us stories that make me regret not finding the time and money to attend. Anyone ??
David, you must be looking in the wrong places. Facebook is plastered with stuff. So are several websites like tenkara-fisher.com and bushcraftusa.com.
The event was far more successful than we anticipated. This was not your standard tenkara event. No hotel conference rooms, no PowerPoint slides, no sitting on your ass talking about fishing. This was an intense immersive in the water experience. 8 hours a day for three days in the water fishing with a living legend. Every student had direct one on one teaching with Masami Sakakibara on the water and on land for casting lessons. By the end of the weekend, most if not all students could effectively cast an 8-10m line.
The most impressive thing to me as the event organizer is that the partipants connected with each other, new friendships were made, old friendships strengthened, the group really banded together. Hopefully these real relationships will continue to grow from this event. You forget how powerful real personal connections are in this world of synthetic, online “friendships.”
There were 20 students from all over the USA in attendance. So far the official feedback we have received is “when are you guys doing this again?!”
Masami Sakakibara and Tenkara Guides LLC are already hard at work planning future Oni Tenkara Schools.
John Vetterli
Tenkara Guides LLC
Team Oni USA
Those events should be recorded on video and be onsale for all the Tenkara students around the world !!