In June 2024, DRAGONtail Tenkara and Nirvana on the Fly released the Kokoro 360 tenkara rod. Made in their Korean rod factory, the Kokoro 360 matches or exceeds many Japanese tenkara rods in weight, action, materials and aesthetics. It has rapidly gained a reputation for Japanese-like quality without the hassles of overseas sales and shipping. DRAGONtail and Nirvana now announce that pre-order is open for two other Kokoro rods, the 320 and the 400.
Pre-order the Nirvana Kokoro 320 and 400 at DRAGONtail Tenkara!
Description
Both rods look just like the original 360 cm version, excepting the rod’s length designation. The 320 cm version is basically the 360 version minus one section. This is common practice in the tenkara world, as it is easy to do for the manufacturer and replacement parts are interchangeable, but the 400 cm version has a unique taper.
The 400 cm version is its own specifically engineered rod. It is not what most tenkara rods companies do, that is just add one section to the 360 cm version and call it good. Instead, the Kokoro 400 sections won’t fit the 320 or 360 because it’s taper is designed to reduce weight and rotational moment (tip heaviness) of a longer rod. You can readily see this when the rods are placed side by side. Personally, I think this is fantastic! It is similar to what Suntech did for for TenkaraBum line of rods. It means that the 400 is its own uniquely designed rod, not just a 360 with an extra section. In my opinion, that’s how you design a 4 meter tenkara rod!
Measurements
Kokoro 320
| Characteristic | Measurement |
|---|---|
| Sections | 7 |
| Nested (w/ tip plug) | 54.5 cm (21.5 in.) |
| Extended | 319.5 cm (10 ft., 5.8 in.) |
| Handle | 26 cm (10 in.) |
| Weight (w/o tip plug) | 57.8 g (2 oz.) |
| CCS | 14.5 pennies |
| RFI | 4.5 |
Kokoro 400
| Characteristic | Measurement |
|---|---|
| Sections | 8 |
| Nested (w/ tip plug) | 60.5 cm (23.8 in.) |
| Extended | 400 cm (13 ft., 1.5 in.) |
| Handle | 26 cm (10 in.) |
| Weight (w/o tip plug) | 73.2 g (2.6 oz.) |
| CCS | 16.5 pennies |
| RFI | 4.1 |
| Rotational Moment (tip heaviness) | 6 |
Performance
Both rods cast beautifully. They have smooth, refined casting arcs and both propel the line forward with little effort. The 320 is a little faster in action than the 400, but this is seen in the RFI numbers. I used a #3 fluorocarbon level line with each rod and it matched perfectly with both rod’s action. That said, they cast a furled line beautifully as well.
I’m sure some anglers might have a question concerning the 400 — how does it compare to the DRAGONtail Ragnarok 400? In a few words, the Kokoro 400 is lighter in weight and it bends a little further down the rod than the Ragnarok. Since both were designed by Brent Auger, and he has a certain way he likes his rods to perform, they both act very similar. But rod weight is very different between the rods and that changes the casting inertia (the energy to get the rod moving and to stop it) as well as its rotational moment (numerical estimation of tip heaviness). The 400 has a rotational moment of only 6, while the Ragnarok is 6.7. The difference in tip heaviness is noticeable when compared side by side.
Here’s a video of Brent fishing the Kokoro 400:
Conclusion
Both the Nirvana Kokoro 320 and 400 are Japanese quality tenkara rods with excellent fit and finish and superb actions. After fishing over a hundred tenkara rods, I feel that Japanese quality rods are now available in America without having to buy them from a Japanese importer! Along with the Kokoro 360, the 320 and 400 elevate the American tenkara rod experience. When placed along side excellent rods, such as the Nissin Zerosum line, you can’t tell the difference. Yes, the Kokoro rods are that good!
Nirvana on the Fly/DRAGONtail Tenkara now have these rods on pre-order. If you have been waiting for Japanese quality rods with quality materials, professional engineering and cork handles, but have been hesitant to purchase from an overseas vendor, here are your rods! You’re going to love these rods!
Pre-order the Nirvana Kokoro 320 and 400 at DRAGONtail Tenkara!
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For comparison, the Zerosum 400 6:4 tenkara rod has a rotational moment of 6.7 and the new NIRVANA Kokoro 400 rod is just 6.0 which is quite a bit lower casting weight that you can feel casting them side by side.
Hi Brent!
Could you please consider making a separate version of the Kokoro rod with an alternative handle? I own Kokoro 360. I like the blank a lot. But the curve of the handle does not fit my hand well. I have to admit I have an XL size hand with long fingers… The handles of old Nirvana 370z rods fit my hand better. But I have a different idea about alternative handles, let me share.
I found rods with heavy handles casts smoother than rods with light handles. When I was customizing the Kokoro 360 handle for my hand, I found it feels best for me when total rod weight is 91g. I was wrapping cork with silicone tape, 91g is a sweet spot – more/less is not better. This opens the possibility of doing a special version of Kokoro with a wood handle. Handle shape could be like on Nissin Air Stage Fuji Ryu, with slightly bigger diameter it would be just right total weight. I would recommend linseed oil finish (e.g. Tru-Oil). It solves the problem with slipperiness ASF has, it looks amazing, and it is very durable… I tested it and now use it on all ASF wood handles, it works excellent.
Now why do we need a wood handle Kokoro if we have ASF? Because of RFI. Kokoro blank is just better as a general purpose blank, it is not as delicate as ASF 5:5 and not as strong as ASF 6:4. Kokoro blank seems to be more durable too.
So here it is – the wooden handle Kokoro idea. Of course wooden handles are not for everyone, and I’m not sure how many people would be excited about it. Anyway, I hope my post is useful.
This is pretty exciting. The measurables look great. Looking forward to fishing these next spring.
I confess I’ve been squeamish of late using high-end JDM rods since several of the popular suppliers in Japan have ceased shipping to the U.S. due to the tariff fiasco. I’m presuming Chris Stewart is challenged for acquistion of reasonably priced parts as well. The Kokoro line looks perfectly positioned to fill this niche and with the support of Brent’s exceptional and widely recognized customer service. Looking forward to putting the 400 though its paces.