koi shows in Japan. a hobbyist's wondering pics.

[Appliance Guy]

Hey Duc- looking great! I'm getting a kickback from FaceBook when I try to view the pics. I'm not on FB often at all, so maybe we have to be 'friends'. Thanks! I'm really curious to see your koi and what Mitsunori chose as well.

Great thread man!

[azngopher]

Hey Duc- looking great! I'm getting a kickback from FaceBook when I try to view the pics. I'm not on FB often at all, so maybe we have to be 'friends'. Thanks! I'm really curious to see your koi and what Mitsunori chose as well.

Great thread man!

Hi Tim

I'm not sure why the links are not working for some. I can see them when clicking on the link on computers that are not logged into Facebook just fine. Maybe log off of Facebook and try the links?

We will see the results came late March when Isa-san does the judging.

[azngopher]

It's been awhile since I wrote an update so let's start with a little show in Tokyo

What a koi show! Wow! Amazing! My koi are junk!

This was such a cool experience being able to see all these wonderful koi and how well they are kept. I spent 2 days at the show and didn't even see all of the entries! The ZNA seminar was very educational to say the least. Repeat after me, "just because the state of the finish is not complete, it does not mean that the quality is low"..... :-)

I haven't posted many koi pictures from the show on facebook, mainly people stuff which can be found here:
https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?...1&l=39842561d2

I made two videos to break it up a bit. These are the majors (GC, Runner up, Jumbo) and Taro was there to represent as the mature champion koi was brokered by him!

[azngopher]

2nd video is of some of the best in variety and then best in size (kokugyo)



Will share my trip to Isawa Nishikigoi Center (INC) or otherwise known as Matsunosuke next. This was a quick 1.5 day trip as I had "work" back in Tokyo on Tuesday afternoon. Mat, Tony McCann (Mat's dad) and a couple chaps from Manchester, Dick and Brenda Thomas, Richard and Luanne Porter, along with Mike Frady and I will be bowling up some koi. My first trip to this famed koi breeder.

[azngopher]

I get to meet the "Challenger"!

What an experience the past few days has been. Nothing can prepare you for the first trip to the All Japan and nothing can prepare you for visiting INC the first time either!

We were warmly greeted by Mr Sakai, his wife and Toshi to some coffee and snacks to catch up on the news. The waiting room is full of history! I didn't know where to focus my attention on as there were paintings, trophies, aquariums, memorabilia and all sorts of goodies to eat on the table in front of me. After a bit, we headed to the cars and drove to another location to visit a greenhouse. The outside and inside are not what you would see at Dainichi or another big name breeder, these were old school, elevated greenhouses with precious jewels in the water. A true working farm!

We start off by bowling some customer koi and then some potential nisai, sansai and older koi. The parade of WOW koi kept on coming. I had never been exposed to pink beni before and to see one example after another and then what this looks like on older koi was mind blowing! Mr Sakai took a liking to me (maybe because I was the new one in the crowd) and started to bring up koi after koi to demonstrate what he was explaining, bridging the gap of our language skills with hand gestures and having Toshi translate when he was around.

The key was 1)body line, 2)shiny skin, 3)yellow light beni around a deeper shade (hoshi) at the center (fukurin), 4)kiwa not finish (but for marusome, scalloping at the very bottom scales when young), 5)pattern. Always pattern last. Always the pattern he produces would look plain on a young koi but would fill out a koi at maturity. He said that amateurs look at pattern first but professionals always look at body and quality, then pattern.

The fukurin would thicken/widen as the koi develops and if the koi was shiny, the beni would deepen and keep the luster as the koi ages. Do not go for dark, red beni with kiwa that was close to finish in a young koi. These tend to break down and lose the beni as the koi matures.

He had so many great koi to show the development of the skin and body shape. These weren't cheap koi, yet he kept on bowling them for us. A truly gifted breeder and genuine personality. The apple didn't fall far from the tree with Toshi either. He has his father's talents and a quiet ambition to be the best. His knowledge, sharp eye for koi along with good command of the english language was easy to approach and have discussions. INC will be in good hands when Sakai senior hands over the reigns.

enough babbling!

[azngopher]

Video 2 on Tuesday. I missed out on some great koi after I left. now i have fear of missing out!

[azngopher]

Of course I didn't leave without picking up a koi. Nisai pink beni sanke. 3 step maruten with killer sumi. It was like liquid metal. Excited that she will be at the main event harvest in october. Didn't cost me an arm and/or a leg either. :-)

Let's just say that I was truly impressed and blown away with what I saw and will be coming to INC as often as I can (1.25 hr drive from my apartment). Mr Sakai gave me an open invitation to come bowl up koi and of course partake in some adult drinks with him any chance I get. Who can resist that?!

That is it for now, until the next koi adventure (next Wednesday with Russ).

facebook link to the links:
https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?...1&l=489ac8c87e

[azngopher]

Momotaro had a special exhibition at the show. we used their koi for the ZNA judging exercise. pretty tough!

and part of the special section were these three oyagoi they brought out to show where the koi came from. wow.

[azngopher]

this was a really cool koi at the show. I asked Maruyama-san who was standing by the tank he said the breeder might've used many males and got lucky. who wouldn't want one of these in their pond?

[azngopher]

the All Japan was not only about the koi, for me it was a chance to catch up with a lot of friends from around and to meet new ones. what a weekend!

this hobby has been and continues to be so enriching for me and my family. so blessed to be in this position.

https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?...1&l=39842561d2

[Russell Peters]

this was a really cool koi at the show. I asked Maruyama-san who was standing by the tank he said the breeder might've used many males and got lucky. who wouldn't want one of these in their pond?

There was a big debate on this one and, judging by the breeder it was thought to be Matsukawabake but, the fact that it has a Kohaku pattern has bothered me about this appraisal. I am leaning toward what Mike said, GR Sumi Goromo with amazing Sumi.

[APOLONASGR36]

Duc is that a metallic ginrin shiro utsuri?

[azngopher]

There was a big debate on this one and, judging by the breeder it was thought to be Matsukawabake but, the fact that it has a Kohaku pattern has bothered me about this appraisal. I am leaning toward what Mike said, GR Sumi Goromo with amazing Sumi.

i'm with you and Mike on this.

no way this is matsukawabake. pattern looks too stable.

look forward to next week Russ. you can straighten me up on some of what i wrote about my initial visit. so much information, it was an overload! :-)

[Russell Peters]

i'm with you and Mike on this.

no way this is matsukawabake. pattern looks too stable.

look forward to next week Russ. you can straighten me up on some of what i wrote about my initial visit. so much information, it was an overload! :-)

I am glad you made it there.

[koiman1950]

There was a big debate on this one and, judging by the breeder it was thought to be Matsukawabake but, the fact that it has a Kohaku pattern has bothered me about this appraisal. I am leaning toward what Mike said, GR Sumi Goromo with amazing Sumi.

I would also agree with Maruyama's assessment of it being more of a "one off" but from something like a Sumi Goromo/Kohaku/Shiro Utsuri mix!lol This fish would definitely belong in Junichi's "one off" thread. Very unusual. Maybe if you show the pic/video of this fish to Toshio he could evaluate it better, or if he knows the breeder, maybe he could contact him for his opinion. I will say, though, it makes for a great discussion whichever way it turns out.

[moikoi]

Duc
thanks for posting all these beautiful videos.

[koisan]

There was a big debate on this one and, judging by the breeder it was thought to be Matsukawabake but, the fact that it has a Kohaku pattern has bothered me about this appraisal. I am leaning toward what Mike said, GR Sumi Goromo with amazing Sumi.

In simon Austin's video, during his visit to Narita Farm, this koi was bowled up and you could heard Narita San said that this was breed from a matsukawabake and an omosako shiro. So this should be a matsukawabake or shiro utsuri.

[koisan]

In simon Austin's video, during his visit to Narita Farm, this koi was bowled up and you could heard Narita San said that this was breed from a matsukawabake and an omosako shiro. So this should be a matsukawabake or shiro utsuri.

at 26:30 mark of the video is when this koi was brought out.

[Russell Peters]

In simon Austin's video, during his visit to Narita Farm, this koi was bowled up and you could heard Narita San said that this was breed from a matsukawabake and an omosako shiro. So this should be a matsukawabake or shiro utsuri.

It could be a GR Shiro but it couldn't be a Matsukawabake

[azngopher]

interesting. wonder what class it was entered under?

given the information, would say that it is a ginrin shiro (phenotype) but the qualities are not typical of shiro utsuri.

if they can stabilize this type of sumi and gin quality, the yen would be flowing in!

who doesn't like a little bit of bling in their pond, especially of this quality.

pretty cool koi.