His designs have always favored the 5:5 and 6:4 profile. Only other 8:2 rod I remember (and wish I had not sold) was the Shimano Tenkara Mainstream ZE.
Does anyone know the reason/purpose behind the interesting grip design?
They also did an interesting handle design on the Maystone 36 NW as well.
I have no idea but I’m guessing a zoom lock?
Giving it a go at finding an answer to that question turned out to be kind of interesting fun. 
In the below blog post, Dr Ishigaki, writes : “シマノでおなじみのEVAグリップで手に優しい感触。コルクとEVAの間のリングがおしゃれ。” [ Shimano’s familiar EVA grip gives a gentle touch to your hands. The ring between cork and EVA is fashionable.]
The last sentence of a different blog post, is rather cryptic. 
http://www.tenkaradaio.sakura.ne.jp/tenkara/2019/noukan.htm
He writes that the rod fished with in this blog post was a prototype rod. But the rod specification was not changed in the production model. But the grip was changed on the production model.
プロトと市販品の調子が違うことはないが、グリップは違うので改めて市販品で実釣である。
[ The condition of the proto and the commercial product are not different, but the grip is different, so it is a commercial product and it is a real (actual) fishing again.]
But the last sentence, I think, must be either an example of his often mentioned sense of humor. Or an example of something lost in translation between Japanese and English.
Writing -
マラブーの尻尾がクネクネするのがたまらないのだろう。
尻尾がクネクネするのは・・うーん、いい。
The Marabout tail It is … Kunekune Irresistible wonder.
Tail to Kunekune is … Well, good.
マラブー [Marabū] would appear to refer to the stork down feathers used to tie flies.
Indeed in the previous sentence he writes about 4 self made marabū kebari. [ 毛鉤。。。自作マラブーで4匹である。 kebari. . . There are four self-made marabū.]
But what could a marabū tail mean? A mystery !
Which is followed by - Kunekune Irresistible wonder, and Tail to Kunekune.
But what is a Kunekune [ クネクネ] ?
An internet search for - クネクネ何とは - what is kunekune?
Finds an urban legend of mysterious human shaped creature, that wiggles, has a basic human form, that is sometimes mistaken for a scarecrow. Or the other way round, a scarecrow is mistaken for a kunekune.
Kunekune is literally “wiggling body” . And one often reads of wiggling a tenkara rod to test it’s characteristics.
But there is more depth to Dr Ishigaki’s odd description.
A sentence from the wikipedia page reads - " Explanations for the Kunekune include its appearances being the result of confusion with scarecrows or wick drains.
Ok then , what are “Wick drains”?
In the wikipedia page for “kunekune” - the link to “wick drains” switches over to a wikipedia page for - geocomposite materials –
" The basic philosophy behind geocomposite materials is to combine the best features of different materials in such a way that specific applications are addressed in the optimal manner and at minimum cost…"
Well, I think the grip on this rod would be thought of as a combination of the best materials for the application, at minimum cost of production.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kunekune_(urban_legend)
otoh - sometimes google digital translation just wanted to translate kunekune [ クネクネ] as knuckle.
Lastly, on the Shimano website for this rod. It only says the grip is shaped to not be slippery and to reduce fatigue.
手触りがよいうえに滑りにくく、疲労を軽減するハイブリッド仕様。
[ Hybrid specification that feels good and is less slippery and reduces fatigue.]
I would say hybrid specification just means composite material construction.
http://fishing.shimano.co.jp/product/rod/5907
Probably the best answer for reason / purpose driving the grip design might be obtained by emailing Dr. Ishigaki, and asking him. His email address is linked at the top of his blog.
email here - メールはこちらへ , in white text.
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David,
This is really interesting. Thank you for the research into the handle and background. For some strange
reason I have heard the word “kunekune” but can’t remember where I made contact with this word??? Maybe some coffee will fire up some of those dormant brain cells that are gathering dust
Thank you again.
Awesome David. Thank you for the interesting research. I assume the handle “ring” design portion is simply about cosmetic appearance. The maystone 36 I have also has a unique wood insert as well as a hook holder as seen on fly rods. Interestingly enough I have used the hook holder many times while unhooking fish.
I was thinking the cork was a lock down twist for zoom. Upon close inspection, it appears to be an insignia bezel separating the two, no mechanism.
I really enjoyed my ZE and Keiryu Tenkara but I like other rods more.
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Difficult to say. There are many homonyms in Japanese language, throw in words from other languages that sound the same and it get more complex. Especially when words from different languages that sound the same but often mean something completely opposite. Take the word “si” for example. In Spanish it means “yes”. But “si” in one of the African languages means “no”. That sort of thing could cause a great deal of trouble on a date. 
Here are 25 more:
https://thoughtcatalog.com/maya-kachroo-levine/2016/07/25-words-that-are-the-same-in-two-languages-but-mean-different-things/
You may have heard the word “kunekune” because it is the name for a small domesticated pig from New Zealand, that some people have purchased as pets. Where “kunekune” is a Maori word that means - “fat and round”.
New Zealand also has a pig they call a “Captain Cooker”. Strange name.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kunekune
I frequently reveal myself to be a fool playing around with word meanings from different languages.
But it is easy to do. Non English speakers probably have a great deal of trouble with such English words as “fly”. That can mean so many different things:
“Calvin hit a fly ball to the left field”; “Charlie planned to fly his biplane across country for a bit of an adventure”; “Tony was embarrassed when Sally whispered to him that his fly was open” ; “Barry’s idea did not fly well with the management group”; “The decision was made to fly the flag at half staff”; “I have to fly because I am about to be late for my meeting”; “Oh how time flies”, etc.
Anyway, Jeff - has your Keiho Tenkara NR been delivered yet? Looking forward to reading your first impressions, and later thoughts after using it far a while. 
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David, with the word “fly,” did you want to confuse me?
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Chris shipped it out today!
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I received the new Shimano Keiho Tenkara NR 36 yesterday from Tenkarabum.com! Special thanks to Chris for securing the rod before they were readily available in Japan.
Out of the box the rod is beautiful. The blank is a deep purple color which has a nice metallic iridescent look in the right lighting. Shimano has never failed me in the cosmetic department. This rod is no different. The “Tenkara” badged ring splitting the cork from the EVA is elegant while not effecting handle comfort. The lower section of the handle appears to be the same size as the pack tenkara from eyeballing it. It does not share the larger top grip section seen on the pack tenkara. It is only slightly larger from the upper section to the lower section of the grip. Handle is slightly thicker than the Shimano Keiryu ZL. (for further reference I will include pics of all three side by side). Rod comes with a rod sock. I was able to make a short trip to the Neches River here in East Texas and will give my initial thoughts. Please understand this is my opinion only. To each there own. I may love a rod you hate, or vise versa.
I thought it would be fun to fish the rod as a complete Dr. Ishigaki system. I paired the rod with a 4m and 3.6m Tenkara straight line (designed by Dr. Ishigaki), hand tied kebari sent to me from Dr.Ishigaki, and the fly box he gifted me as seen on his website. First cast was crisp, accurate, with little effort off the tip. Immediately I was pleased with the action. Shimano advertises the rod as an 8:2. I feel this is accurate for where the tip flex appears to be during the cast. For some reference the rod feels less tip flex than the Tenkarabum 36. For Shimano fans it is for sure more tip flex than the ZL or pack tenkara rods. I continued spot casting either line where I wanted. The rod feels “tuned” to the quick wrist snap precision cast it was made for. Dampening is superb with very little tip wiggle when stopping the casting stroke. Maybe its attributed to what Shimano calls “top stop” tech. Or maybe it’s just placebo from such a nice new rod. Ha-ha. One thing it is for sure, is a keeper. Even with the faster action rod loaded nice and smooth with fish on. Interesting note to add- I found the grip ring a comfortable spot to place my middle finger when using the “pointer finger” style upper grip hold. It also provided a small groove for fingers when just gripping the rod with a lower grip position.
Fish were biting today with bluegill, redbreast sunfish, dollar sunfish, and largemouth bass joining me for the fun. It was a blast spot casting to smaller sunfish and bass rising like trout to the small black winged bugs skimming the surface. Fish rise, flick wrist, nail target, fish on. Repeat. This was the game today and it was fun! Fish on feel was familiar tenkara fun. Ready to head out again!
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Jeff, nice comprehensive review. Thanks.
Vladimir, just an example of how precise communications is difficult when people have a different understanding of what words mean. I once read that when Napoleon wanted to send a message to one of his battlefield commanders he would first send for the dumbest soldier in his camp. Have him read the message, and describe what the instructions meant. If he understood the instructions, Napoleon thought the commander he was sending the message to would also understand it. Or have no excuse for not following his orders.
From a little proverb I first heard in a U. Hawaii class on interpersonal communications, and later heard again in a Navy leadership class.
I am sure you think you understand what you think I said (wrote).
But I am not sure you understand that what I said (wrote) was not what I meant.
If I can’t translate, I will ask a lot of questions.
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