Wednesday 22nd April 2009.

Daily update of Trips to Japan
Post Reply
User avatar
site admin
Site Admin
Posts: 250
Joined: Wed Jan 09, 2008 1:54 pm
Location: Prestatyn, North Wales
Contact:

Wednesday 22nd April 2009.

Post by site admin »

Today was a rather quiet on the koi front, but what was selected were of very high quality.

We first visited the Dainichi new large koi house, where some large superb high quality koi were bowled, the Kohaku in particular, but the Showa was very impressive.
Then Rich had the pleasure of selecting some very high grade Showa, and very nice they were, see photo below, also Dainichi san spent time explaining merits of each koi, also sexed each one, as female.

That is it for Koi on this trip.

Then a bit of sightseeing was done, a Shrine up in the mountains through the Tori Gate was visited, with about a hundred or so steps to climb and the effort expended, lunch was called, guess what we had a vote and Rich had the casting vote and we ended up in Moss burger again, we happened to order one to many, so Rich had to have it :lol: :lol: :lol:

After lunch we visited a park, with some lovely Cherry blossom, whilst negotiating the corner of the pond, Alan slipped and tested the mud, rumour has it that his Beni will improve during the Summer ;) ;) ;)
Thats all from here in Niigata, we travel to Tokyo tommorow for a bit of sightseeing.

Dave san.
Dainichi sansai Kohaku.jpg
Dainichi sansai Kohaku.jpg (42.38 KiB) Viewed 12780 times
Dainichi Tategoi Showa.jpg
Dainichi Tategoi Showa.jpg (40.97 KiB) Viewed 12783 times
Dainichi san sexing Koi.jpg
Dainichi san sexing Koi.jpg (35.15 KiB) Viewed 12786 times
Steps to shrine.jpg
Steps to shrine.jpg (102.43 KiB) Viewed 12788 times
Shrine.jpg
Shrine.jpg (85.81 KiB) Viewed 12789 times
Park with Sakura blossom.jpg
Park with Sakura blossom.jpg (98.79 KiB) Viewed 12786 times
ian m
Posts: 67
Joined: Sat Jan 12, 2008 9:35 am

Re: Wednesday 22nd April 2009.

Post by ian m »

Dave.

Certainly a cracking photo of the Sakura blossom, the one in my neighbours garden dumping loads of blosom in my pond isn't as appealing. Sure Martin's isn't behaving either at the moment.

So as the koi trip is over. just sight seeing now. What have been the high's (I'm sure there have been many) and low's (if any) of your first trip? What have been your favourite koi and non koi moments?

How about a summary of the koi you've bought, why you choose them, were they to coin a phrase "knee wobblers" or chosen for there merits.

One last question for us non Japan koi veterans, what is the one major piece of advise you'd now give on chosing koi?

Ian
User avatar
site admin
Site Admin
Posts: 250
Joined: Wed Jan 09, 2008 1:54 pm
Location: Prestatyn, North Wales
Contact:

Re: Wednesday 22nd April 2009.

Post by site admin »

Ian,
I will put something together to descibe it all in length.
But in short, the high's walking into a fish house and everyone goes silent, like this photo of Isa Sansai house these koi are of the highest quality, you would not see these in the UK unless at the National, prices start at about 1 million yen, that's for the smaller ones, anything really special, lotto numbers, the one thing you cannot see from the photo is the shear quality, it only comes apparent in a bowl.
Isa Sansai.jpg
Isa Sansai.jpg (81.46 KiB) Viewed 12750 times
The other end of the scale size wise is this photo of Hoshikin Tancho Kohaku, I'll bet Mitch would like to stick a net in here.
Hoshikin Tancho's.JPG
Hoshikin Tancho's.JPG (70.38 KiB) Viewed 12753 times
The downside is not being able to afford them, the one thing that have to realise is that dealers in the UK do not get a chance of securing the real best Koi, no matter who they are. Unless, you pay lotto numbers, even then the breeders will not sell their best tategoi, they go to the mud to be grown on, they then realise their real income.
It is very enjoyable, but also very frustrating.

I have secured 4 Koi:
Seki-guchi Kindai Showa 35cm tosai, reason - I wanted something different.
Hoshiki Kohaku,38cm tosai reason - shear quality, definate wobble had to have it when I saw it in the bowl.
Otsuka Budo- goromo sansai 50cm reason - mind blowing white skin and pattern.
Hosokai Kujaku nisai 47cm reason - I wanted one, this was exceptional value.
Seki-guchi Kindae Showa.jpg
Seki-guchi Kindae Showa.jpg (37.16 KiB) Viewed 12745 times
My Pick!!!.jpg
My Pick!!!.jpg (18.79 KiB) Viewed 12754 times
Otuska Goromo.jpg
Otuska Goromo.jpg (24.6 KiB) Viewed 12743 times
Hosokai Nisai Kujaku.jpg
Hosokai Nisai Kujaku.jpg (38.69 KiB) Viewed 12749 times
The two tosai will be grown on in the Richdon koi 50K pond till the Autunm.

Dave san
roselanekoi
Posts: 307
Joined: Thu Feb 14, 2008 7:38 pm

Re: Wednesday 22nd April 2009.

Post by roselanekoi »

Dave,

Thanks very much for all the pictures posted and the accompanying narative. I look forward to seeing the four koi you have bought when you eventually get them back home,

Colin
Post Reply