"Even if you don't catch a fish, that's fine" — the world's only mountain-stream lure wazao, debuting from WAZAO-IPPON

The world's only mountain-stream lure wazao opens for limited made-to-order production from February 2025.
~ The fruit of four years of development. Bait and spinning models released simultaneously. ~

Three rods per month, from ¥300,000
Time spent with bamboo — time where, fittingly, you don't have to catch a fish.
2025: a new philosophy of fishing begins.

"Where tradition meets the new — the philosophy of fishing that WAZAO-IPPON proposes"

WAZAO-IPPON has carried forward traditional wazao techniques while taking on the work of building rods that fit today's anglers.

After years of research and development, what has finally been completed is the world's only "mountain-stream lure wazao."
The richness of time in which one can say, "even if you don't catch a fish, that's fine" —
this is a rod made for re-examining the essence of fishing.

Two models, bait and spinning, open to made-to-order production from 2025.
Only three rods per month, each handmade by experienced rod makers, with a delivery time of about two to three months.
Born of four years of development, this rod embodies a wholly new value where craft, art, and philosophy meet.

"The world's only mountain-stream lure wazao — its qualities and its commitments"

▼ Bait Model / Spinning Model

・Length: 4ft–5ft
・Action: UL
・Number of sections: 3pc
・Recommended lure weight: 1–3g range, small minnows and spoons
・Material variations: hotei bamboo / yadake / koyachiku / marubushidake
・Price: ¥330,000- tax in

The bait model uses a custom brass ferrule, which can be paired freely with a grip of your choosing. The spinning model is offered in two versions — ferrule-type and integrated grip.

Both models are designed for upper to source-area streams; the target species are trout up to around 30cm. The design balances a sharp casting feel with a graceful curve when a fish takes — the soft mid-flex of the body — at once.

▼ Material and method

Experienced rod makers travel into the mountains themselves to harvest and select native Japanese bamboo. Only the precious materials, dried over several years, are used. Traditional urushi (Japanese lacquer) techniques bring strength, water resistance, and beauty together. Each rod is finished with the rod maker's hands and eyes — no two are alike.

▼ "Even if you don't catch a fish, that's fine"

A depth of experience that high-performance carbon rods cannot offer — the depth of a chosen inconvenience. A thrilling exchange that is never simply left to the tool reawakens the original excitement of facing nature and living things. Turning each moment into a kind of literary, richer time — that is the heart of wazao.

"What stands behind ¥300,000 — track record and support"

▼ Press features
Featured in publications such as BRUTUS and WWD, with strong reception from contemporary cultural circles.

▼ Unlimited support, with peace of mind
Because wazao are known to be demanding to handle, we have prepared deep, lasting support after purchase. For three years, off-season maintenance (heat-shaping, polishing) and any unexpected damage are covered without limit and at no charge. Through online lectures, WAZAO-IPPON staff also provide attentive follow-up, from use to maintenance.

▼ Artisanal skill, and a technique unique in the world
Almost no brand can replicate the same processes and level of service. In an older Japan filled with handwork, artisans and users were deeply connected through the things themselves. WAZAO-IPPON brings that older sensibility back into the present. This is why the value held in "¥300,000" is more than the price; it is an investment for a lifetime.

"A world that deepens with use — gatherings and events for owners"

▼ Online events and workshops
・Lectures on fishing in mountain streams, classes on wazao maintenance, and other programs held regularly online.

• Programs designed so that younger participants can take part comfortably.
• Building community through official social channels
• Instagram followers exceed 7,000. By sharing fishing journals and photos with the hashtag "#和竿ルアー体験" (wazao-lure experience),
• connections with users across the country open up.
• In-person events and fishing tours (in planning)
• Tours and gatherings to share the heart of wazao together at the streams themselves are under consideration.
• Meeting people who share the same values makes the world of fishing richer.