Different people are attracted to different aspects of tenkara, but for me the primary attraction is that the line is so light that you can keep more of it off the water's surface, which greatly reduces drag and gives you much better drifts. I also like that the fish pull against the rod rather than the drag so any fish that would normally take line puts up a huge fight. I prefer the softer rods, so even a small fish can put a good bend in the rod. Another thing I like is the portability. The rod collapses down to just 16-22" depending on the model, weighs just a few ounces and you don't have to pack a reel. And I really, really like not having to deal with fly line around (and under) my feet. For me the bottom line is that I catch more fish and have more fun doing it.