Tenkara at SomersetTenkara at Somerset. Well, the show's over, the backdrop and the "spaceship" Tenkara USA banner are packed up and the crowds are gone.
A very large number of people stopped by the booth. Most had at least heard of tenkara or seen a reference in a magazine or perhaps an ad. However there is a huge difference between having seen a reference and actually having a 12' super sensitive rod in your hands. It was really amazing seeing the faces of people after you hand them a fully extended rod. Usually, their eyes got wide and their jaw dropped. A few did in fact ask "Where is the reel?" or the guides. Many more asked "Where can I buy one?" There were two dealers at the show who had them, Mossy Creek and Bear's Den. It was not unusual to talk to someone about tenkara, explaining the whole concept of long rod, light line, minimal drag - and see that same person a while later with a tenkara rod case peeking out of a backpack. What is perhaps even more amazing, though, is that we also saw people who came back to the booth after 10 or 20 minutes, with a friend in tow, and stand out in the middle of the aisle excitedly explaining to their friend what tenkara is all about. Often Daniel would be talking to one or two people, and I would be talking to one or two people, and I would hear someone else at the edge of the booth telling another person how wonderful tenkara was. I'd later find out that the guy had a rod or two, loved it, came by to say high and ended up being not really a salesman but definitely a spokesman for tenkara. Daniel's decision to participate in the shows this year was wise, and the "problem" of having two dealers at this show, so he couldn't hang out in one dealer's booth without upsetting the other, was indeed fortuitous. Tenkara USA having it's own booth generated a lot more interest and a lot more people got an exposure to tenkara than would have otherwise. Regardless of what Lefty says, or even what Daniel says or I say or what Tom Sadler says (and as an aside, after having spent a bit of time with Tom in the booth all I can say is I'm glad he's a supporter because I'd hate to ever have to go up against that amount of passion and the way he has of presenting things) tenkara is going viral. The people who "get it" (the concept - even those who haven't yet gotten the rod) are spreading the excitement. And it wasn't just show attendees who stopped buy. Quite a few of the people that came to see for themselves were in the industry. Tenkara is on everyone's radar now. The "show" may be over, but the real show's just begun.
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