The concept behind the brand name
Onihime is a Japanese fishing brand that specializes in shrimp fishing, and is known for offering the best models without compromise, with the concept of "high-end models that manufacturers do not mass-produce at an extremely low price."
Onihime is a combination of the Japanese name for shrimp in Thailand (Oni-Tsuna-Ebi) and princess. Oni is a feared strong person. Princess is a beautiful princess. The name Onihime expresses overwhelming quality and beautiful appearance.
This is the usual brand concept.
The concept behind Onihime is to be a brand that can convince a beautiful but sometimes scary princess (partner) to buy .
As a connection to the hidden concept behind the brand name, let's talk about why a shrimp fishing rod that looks expensive at first glance can be said to be so cheap.
As a premise, shrimp fishing rod
The blank part of the fishing rod is made in Japan.
There are a lot of technical details to go into, but to put it simply, by layering multiple layers of this material and fine-tuning the balance of the rod, we create an easy-to-use shrimp fishing rod.
Generally, cheap fishing rods are made using Chinese-made materials with low material costs, or made using only one type of carbon. The quality of the materials is commensurate with the price, and the labor required is low, so there are few options to keep the price down in the first place, and it is difficult to create the action you want. High-end fishing rods use carbon made in Japan without exception, and by layering several types of carbon, the feel of the rod is improved in proportion to the price and labor required.
There are differences in technical skills, but from my experience working in manufacturing sites, I know that workshops that can accumulate large amounts of labor are generally, without exception, of an extremely high level, and this is not limited to the fishing rod industry.
The grip part of the fishing rod is made one by one from aluminum alloy using a technique called CNC machining, which cuts metal.
Previously, making a grip entirely out of aluminum alloy was unthinkable, as it would require a high level of expertise and skilled labor, as well as more expensive and precise machinery.
This was extremely difficult, so much so that a metal processing company that made parts for high-end fishing rods said they were producing so many defective products that they could not make the products to Onihime's standards, even for twice the price.
So I decided to consult an important person who often accompanies me to shrimp fishing in Thailand.
He is a Frenchman who creates the blueprints for most of the accessories and bags of the world's most famous luxury brands. His investigations into the causes and advice have made what was once considered impossible possible.
The gold decoration is a design befitting a high-end fishing rod that was created based on the idea of the person in question. Needless to say, it also has the rigidity required for a tool to be extremely resistant to scratches.
Why does it not get scratched even though it is matte black? There is a secret to the way the metal plating is applied, but I could talk endlessly about shrimp fishing rods, so I will stop here.