![Suntech Tenkarakyo [Sky Madness]* 40F To Be Released - Tenkara Angler](https://i0.wp.com/tenkaraangler.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/Suntech-Sky-Madness.png?resize=780%2C161&ssl=1)
Suntech is releasing a new tenkara rod and that is big news! Suntech is a Japanese company that makes outstanding rods for keiryu-style fishing as well as the TenkaraBum line of tenkara rods. Called the Tenkarakyo, meaning tenkara crazy or tenkara bum or “Sky Madness“, the new rod is 4 meters in length and weighs 75 grams. Not a lot is known, but Suntech states the Tenkarakyo has a “slow taper design with more power at the tip and a … cutting-edge design”. They stated this gives “advantage of long casts and interactions with large fish”.
| Product name | Total Length (m) | Nested length (cm) | Segments | Weight (g) | Tip Diameter (mm) | Base Diameter (mm) | Suitable Tippet Size | Carbon content (%) | MSRP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 40F | 4.0 | 60.5 | 8 | 75 | 1.0 | 11.3 | 0.8～1.2 | 99 | ¥26,000 |
The rod has a NPF design. It’s unclear what that means in regards to this rod, but it may be Non-Paint Flash blanks. Of it Suntech states “the first of its kind adopted for tenkara rods, is the proof of evolution that produces divine performance. You can feel its delicacy and power.”
I love Suntech rods and the Suntech TenkaraBum 36 and 40 are on my favorites list. I’m intrigued by this new rod and will see if I can get my hands on one to do some testing. Chris Stewart says that the rod is full-flex and will have more inertia than the TB40. It will have a thicker tip section than the TB40. So, maybe the Tenkarakyo will be to the TB40 like the Oni Type II is to the Type I. This is just a guess on my part. I’m always looking for the perfect 4 meter tenkara rod, and I’m interested to see how the Tenkarakyo stacks up against my beloved TB40. Stay tuned!
Pre-order for the Tenkarakyo can be through TenkaraBum or Tenkara-ya.
* This name is from Google translate. Tenkyukyo is from DeepL Translate. 『天空狂』is the original name.
Do you have a story to tell? A photo to share? A fly recipe that’s too good to keep secret? If you would like to contribute content to Tenkara Angler, click HERE for more details.
When you buy something using the retail links within our articles or Gear Shop, we may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. Tenkara Angler does not accept money for editorial gear reviews. Read more about our policy.
I’ll be watching this closely and look forward to trying one.
Be sure to give us a review! I know you both will end up with one 🙂
Suntech “black on black” pictures are not eye friendly… OK, what we have – 75g versus 70g for TB40, so more weight, but slimmer blank. Foam handle … they better add an extra 3000 yen and use cork (Nissin uses cork in cheaper rods, they even give you wood in ASF – which is also cheaper). Handle looks like they tweaked it compared to TB40. It is probably more weight in the handle, which is good (may cast smoother). Swivel lilian connection (it would be better without it). I guess it is 16 penny / RFI 4.0 blank… There is a vacant spot here on the market – Oni type 1 is faster action, Ony type 2 is softer (less power), Zerosum Oni Honryu 395 (ZO395) is faster/stiffer, TB40 is probably even faster then ZO395 but the same power. Zerosum/Royal Stage 6:4 400 are similar in action/power, but they have 8 sections against 9, so one less joint for Tenkarakyo. Let me elaborate my thoughts about the Tenkarakyo configuration.
Main advantage of slower taper rods is they allow casting a long light line more easily – the motion is slower than with faster rods (easier to hit timing), and the rod loads itself (easier to get the power right)… Based on my experiments with pushing Air Stage Fuji Ryu rod to the limits, Tenkarakyo would probably be better with an 8m line than ZO395. But I found such a long line not advantageous. My comfortable maximum with 4m rod is 6.5m line plus 1-1.5m tippet. 8m is not that much practical fishing range improvement over 6.5m, but it is a lot more tricky to manipulate the fly and land the fish (it would take too long to elaborate, just try it)… ZO395 works with a light 6.5m composite line no problem. Now, when it comes to 6.5m line casting specifically, ZO395 has a huge advantage with its cork handle… You can wrap a silicone tape over the cork. It gives you a magnitude better grip, and a magnitude better sensitivity for the blank motion… Rod just tells you what it is doing with this mod, it is easy to hit the perfect cast timing and power. You can put a fly into the cup ten out of ten times with it. So Tenkarakyo’s slow taper casting advantage is suddenly not advantageous at all – your line just flies slower (not good in the wind) and your cast motion is slower (not good for quick recasting). Unfortunately you can not do this mod for a foam handle rods – foam collapses under the silicone tape… You can not compensate for the silicone handle advantage with a blank improvement – foam handle just robs you out of sensitivity.
Main issue with the slow taper rods is they have to be less powerful (more soft, less RFI) – otherwise they would not cast light lines at all (broomstick is an ultimate slow action rod – it bends exactly at the middle). So it needs more motion for a hookset (not great for nymphing), and overall rod sections have to be thinner/less durable (tip can be done thick, but more about thick tips later). My main concern with Tenkarakyo is an American big fish landing. Assuming we have 18″ trout (American “large fish”) in the current on a long line (say 6.5m + tippet), problems would arise during transition from playing fish on the rod to handlining – you have to bring the rod behind you and grab a line. For a soft rod line would jump all over the place – it is just difficult to catch the line. There is extreme pressure on the blank at this moment (it would be 180 degree bend), I’m not sure if Tenkarakyo is strong enough to hold it. ZO395 is specially designed for it and it works in my limited experience – but ZO395 is a fast action, it has 11.7mm blank base against 11.3mm base for Tenkarakyo, and lower sections are beefed up, and there is a waived carbon cloth reinforcement in the joints for ZO395. Suntech’s “NPF” is cool, but I would like to see a lot more if they mention “large fish” and “long casts”.
I do not understand the reason why Japanese promote thick tips for large fish (Oni wrote the same thing about type 2). I can not confirm it. Maybe because their “large” is 12 inch and our “large” is 18 inch – I do not know. Anyway, overall stiffness (RFI) is more important than tip diameter. I never mentioned a better hookset with a thick tip… Deflection point during the hook set is not on the tip section. If you set the hook on a rock, the section which breaks is #3, not tip… Stiffer rod gives a better hookset. If you fish barbless – you need to apply constant pressure on the fish or it will throw the hook – soft blanks are not great for it. Tip diameter would not help with the pressure – rod will bend far below the tip, tip section would be parallel to the line, tip diameter just doesn’t matter. Stiffer rod gives better control over big fish, especially in the current. Thin tip (around 0.65mm) and thick tip (around 1mm) rods of the same stiffness do cast differently. For regular cast thick tip rod bechaves as it is a little bit longer rod (say 10cm longer). Also thick rod tips are better for bow & arrow casts… But it is advantageous for a 3.2m rod. For a 4m rod – not so much. Thin tip is better for 2.5-3 size level line casting. Thin tip gives a little better rotational moment. Both TB40 and ZO395 have 0.65mm tip. Tenkarakyo has not only a 1.0mm tip, it has a lilian swivel on top of it… Extra weight in the worst possible place. And noise/durability concerns. And extra cost. Very questionable design decision for Tenkara rod.
Overall… Suntech keiryu rods are excellent. This one looks like a second attempt to put their keiryu experience to Tenkara… I’m sure they did a good job with the blank. It is unlikely to be a true big fish worthy, but we have plenty of small fish water around. But please give us non foam handle options. Basic Nissin/Oni rods have foam handles, but expensive ones – either cork or wood or bamboo, and Tenkarakyo do not have a basic rod price tag. And please remove lillian spin – it is just a drag for a tenkara rod.
And another thing – I would like to see Suntech rods more readily available. Nissin rods are a lot easier to buy – Amazon Japan/Digitaka/Asian Portal Fishing/Plat are options I’ve used recently. I criticized Amazon Japan last spring, my recent experience with them is good (they do not skimp on packaging paper recently, and I was lucky with quality). Amazon Japan has ZO395 now in stock. Digitaka is more expensive than Amazon Japan, but she is also a step up in experience – she packs rods remarkably well and ships fast (usually faster then Amazon). You have to keep in mind that you may get unlucky with the quality or with the shipping; but there are many working purchase options with Nissins. With Suntech – not so many… I’m not associated with any of the sellers I listed, I’m just buying for myself.