from those used with artificial liires. The latter are somewhat slenderer 

 and about 15 = 16 feet long so that they can be managed more dextrously„ 



The butt of the pole is wrapped with string to provide a firm gripo 

 This twine is of hemp, i waito t'^-Jt or cotton of about size No,, 20, and 

 it is wrapped around the pole at from five to seven places to the width 

 of about 0o6 inch and with about the same space between wrappings. This 

 part of the pole is called the grip / nigi ri or tedokp_7« ^ile the pole 

 is not in use the hook is stuck into these wrappings to prevent the line 

 from tangling^ A thick wrapping of strong hemp twine is put on the tip 

 to form a snake's mouth (pot) / loop_7 to which the fishing line is 

 fastened. The method of making this knot varies wi'oh the locality, but 

 the essential thing is that it be tied tightly so that it will not slip 

 and that it will not make the manipulation of the pole unnaturalo 



2, Fishing line 



As a rule the line is 1 to 1-|- feet shorter than the pole„ It is 

 divided into a main line and a leader » The former is sometimes called 

 takaya ma and the latter koyama„ (Yama is a dialect form of yona meaning 

 strings) Different materials have been used in different localities and 

 at different periods. The following are two or three examples of the 

 present practice, 



(1) An example from the Northeastern area (see Fig, 6), 



The main line is 11 feet of iwaito ,08/, to ,096 inch in diameter. 

 The leader is 1 foot of three=strand righthand twist wire, one end of which 

 is fastened to the hook while the other end has an ej'-e for attaching it 

 to the line. The main line and the leader are joined by a piece of No, 12 

 cotton line one foot in length which is doubled and twisted to the left 

 with an eye in one end and a knot on the other, 



(2) An example from the Kagoshima area 



The msin lias is made of high-grade hemp, ,56 inch in circumference, 

 three strands being twisted together, or it is made of high-grade hemp 

 served .1th No, 50 ■= 100 cotton line, the finisned line being about ,36 

 to .V- inch /in diameter?_7» The leader is from 9o6 to 10,2 inches long 

 and one end is fastened to the hook. The material is No, 28 or 29 vdre 

 (about the same size as No, 22 cotton line), three strands with a right- 

 hand twist, and both ends are served, 



.3) An example from the Shizuoka area 



The main line is kanabi ki /~?_7 hemp, hand-twisted with two strands, 

 diameter ,36 to ,4.8 inch, length 12 to 16 feet, undyed. The leader is the 

 same material and the same size as the main line but is dyed indigo, 



(4.) An example from th- Chiba area 



The main line is home-made from high-=grade Noshu hemp. It is about 

 18 feet long, two strands with a left twist, and is undyed, Tne leader is 



31 



