Day 10 Dainichi

I woke up to a beautiful day and the views across the valley were stunning.I was already packed and ready to check out as my final morning would be spent at Dainichi Koi Farm.

.

It was a morning coffee and a chat with Futoshi Mano before taking the short walk to his tosai house where one pond of about 200 koi would be netted for me, all these koi were sexed recently and all were female but they would be checked again after my selection.

I had fifteen koi in total and then it was time for the sexing to be done.I wanted to learn more about sexing of koi as this is a very big issue at home at the moment,I watched carefully as each Koi was checked first the gills and pectoral fins.

Then the vent is checked after this any doubt and the Koi is rejected, only one koi out of fifteen was rejected.

The reject a shame because the quality was excellent.Here are the fourteen that are female, all these koi will come with certificates and photographs.

 

Buying high quality koi at Dainichi always gives you a good feeling, you know the quality of the koi you are buying and the potential they have,there have been many memorable days on this trip buying Koi, but also alot of time spent talking with many breeders in the South and in Niigata more information about these meetings will be made clear in the next few weeks and will be posted to all subscribers.Detailed information on customer trips to Japan and new products will follow.

 

 

The start of my journey home.

Day 9

I checked out of my hotel as tonight I would be staying at the Hotel Sanrolla,I had not stayed here before as it is set in the Hills and not close to any shops , restaurants or train station. I went to several farms today, but I shall list the main ones of interest.

Oofuchi had many nisai available and I selected the following koi all between 30 and 40cm and great value. 

 

 

 

 

Next it was to Maruju a high quality farm for Goshiki, Budo Goromo ,Showa and others. In his main Tosai house he has some stunning Tosai unfortunately these were not available to select today but we did have time to chat and discuss many things including his parent koi which he bowled some for me and details of he spawning practice which he will start later this month.

 

 

Parent Koi 

 

Later that day brief appointments were made at Igareshi Kazuto, Hirasawa and Yagenji,then it was back to the Hotel to collect my bags and go to the Hotel Sanrolla Rolan a popular hotel with the Japanese lying in the hills in Kawaguchi. 

Tomorrow is my final day and will be meeting Mano Futoshi of Dainichi Koi Farm at 9am

Day 8 Going to Niigata

I Left the hotel very early for the last time to take the 7am flight from Okayama to Haneda. It was only a one hour flight and on arriving was met by Nobuaki and Yasushi two people I first met at the Oishi Koi Farm auction last year, who would be arranging for me to spent more time with some breeders in Niigata to gain better knowledge and to improve my search for very high quality koi during future visits.

On arriving in Niigata it was lunch at a noodles bar then a visit to Izumiya one of the most famous men in Niigata and the current President of the Shinkokai after a good meeting with him and arranging for some Yamabuki at this years harvest it was off to his Tosai house..



















 

It was very good of Senichi Mano to personally select some koi for me and I learnt much about selecting small Tosai

-------------------------------------------------------------



 

Next it was to Isa Koi farm a breeder of very high quality Showa.After a drink and a chat he showed me his best Female Oyagoi (parent fish) and gave me some information about his breeding schedule and said he will contact me regarding the best times to arrive during the Harvest.I thanked him for his time and then it was to Shinoda for some tosai that had been arranged for me to select. There were about 200 koi in total and I selected one box.Isa's best Female parent Showa

Shinoda Tosai 

After a busy day it was back to the hotel and straight out for diner. Tonight I would be meeting with Hoshikin, one of the youngest Koi Farm Presidents in Niigata. There was much discussion about Hoshikins koi and a possible visit to England later this year. 

 

One of Hoshikins parent koi 

Hoshikin is very famous amoungst top hobbyists in Japan for producing superb pattened Jumbo Tosai Kohaku with excellent white skin. I was shown some of his tosai that will be going to the mud ponds later this month and was very impressed, he then took me to his main fish house and showed me some of his Oyagoi, you can see the pride he has in these koi and the determination he has to produce better and better koi.

I hope tomorrow brings results as pleasing as today.