My suppliers tend to make the odd change without my knowledge but generally it is no more than a slight alteration in colour or diameter. This time it looks like they came up with a massive improvement on the 5mm Asanawa. The latest batch is now up from only 4 yarns per ply to 8 and the fibre is darker than before. Although thinner, it looks a lot like the rope Naka-san gave to Gorgone while she was in Japan recently. I waxed, oiled and burned a piece which I showed to her, which prompted the comment “The new 5mm Asanawa is GORGEOUS!!!” In the header image, you can see, from left to right, two strands of Osada rope, new Asanawa 5mm and the rope Akira Naka is using. The Osada has been used quite a bit, the Asa is unused (dry treated) and the Naka nawa has been used about a month by Gorgone.
Below, you can see the original style Asanawa 5mm. If you want to be sure that you get this new version, make a note on the order as I still have a little of the old style Asanawa left which I will ship unless specified. Of course, there is one major difference between the new Asanawa and Japanese rope, that’s price. The most you’ll pay at ESINEM-Rope for an untreated 8m length, inclusive of shipping anywhere in the world, is £10.50! The more you buy, the less you pay.
You can see the rope I dry treated on top and the two bits at the bottom are straight off the reel.
Below, you can see the original 5mm Asanawa.
