Wednesday 22nd April 2009.

[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

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 (42.38 KiB) Viewed 15930 times

Dainichi Tategoi Showa.jpg (40.97 KiB) Viewed 15933 times

Dainichi san sexing Koi.jpg (35.15 KiB) Viewed 15936 times

Steps to shrine.jpg (102.43 KiB) Viewed 15938 times

Shrine.jpg (85.81 KiB) Viewed 15939 times

Park with Sakura blossom.jpg (98.79 KiB) Viewed 15936 times

[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

[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 (81.46 KiB) Viewed 15900 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 (70.38 KiB) Viewed 15903 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 (37.16 KiB) Viewed 15895 times

My Pick!!!.jpg (18.79 KiB) Viewed 15904 times

Otuska Goromo.jpg (24.6 KiB) Viewed 15893 times

Hosokai Nisai Kujaku.jpg (38.69 KiB) Viewed 15899 times

The two tosai will be grown on in the Richdon koi 50K pond till the Autunm.

Dave san

[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