I can't comment on the Kasugo, as I have not fished any Kasugo rods, but the Daiwa LT44SF and the Tenkara USA Ito are apples and oranges. The Daiwa is a seriously stiff rod - think big water, big fish. The Ito is long and soft - soft enough that the #1 item on T-USA customer wish list seems to be a stiffer Ito. Personally, I like soft rods and I like the Ito, but a lot of people seem to wish it was stiffer. Another rod to consider would be the Shimano Mainstream ZE - which essentially is a stiffer Ito. It's also almost twice the price of an Ito (a bit more than the Daiwa). Other than perhaps the Kasugo, none of the rods mentioned has an action much like the Amago. The Daiwa and Shimano are both stiffer and the Ito is softer. I don't carry the Shimano, but if that many people want a stiffer Ito perhaps I should.