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  • Results 1 to 7 of 7

    Thread: Matsunosuke - A Family Name

    1. #1
      Carl's Avatar
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      Matsunosuke - A Family Name

      From the October 2008 Issue of the WorldWide Koi Chronicles, written by Russell Peters:

      (WorldWide Koi Chronicles subscription link.)



      Toshio Sakai was born is Mushigame of Yamakoshi village in Niigata, Japan. After his apprenticeship of Koi breeding under his father, Toshio left Niigata for Isawa to become an independent breeder. He founded Isawa Nishikigoi Center at the age of 18. He succeeded in the first breeding of Matsunosuke Sanshoku in Isawa. The offspring of the original Matsunosuke Sanshoku have received numerous awards. Among them, Chiba Grand Championship, Saitama Grand Championship. Kanto Koshin-Chiku Grand Championship and the All Japan Shinkokai Kokugyo (National Fish) awards as well as Grand Champion in 1994, 1995, 1997 and 2002.

      While developing solid award records, Matsunosuke siblings continued to spawn for over thirty eight years and continue to produce numerous award-winning champions of Matsunosuke Sanshoku. His Goshiki received the first place award for five consecutive years and its siblings produced champion fish in Koromo, Budo-Koromo and Kawarimono.

      Mr. Sakai’s challenge continues to be the production of Koi with further improvement in size, quality and long-lasting beauty.

      What does all of this really mean and what is the true history of “Matsunosuke”?Where does the name come from? These are the questions that really intrigued me the most. I have met the man and I am familiar with what he has accomplished, but I thought it would be interesting to find out a little more. I asked Miwa Sakai, his daughter, where the name came from. This is her response;


      “First of all, originally ‘Matsunosuke’ is our name of house. You know, Yagenji, Miyatora,, Yamakoshi and Ojiya. So these people have 3 names. I have never heard of this culture in any other place. Dainichi and Torazo. These are all that kind of name. It is a very special culture in the countryside

      For example, my father,

      House name: Matsunosuke
      Family name: Sakai
      First name: Toshio
      Company name: Isawa Nishikigoi Center

      For example, Torazo

      House name: Torazo
      Family name: Kawakami
      First name: Tsuyoshi
      Company name: Urakawa Fish Farm

      I heard the custom started a long, long time ago. Because there were many people who have the same family name. (Still now there are many Igarashi, Hoshino and Nagashima).

      So people decided on a house name to tell which Igarashi is which and they have used this name for many things since then. So, some people use this house name for company name or Koi farm name or use it for their products.

      About ‘Matsunosuke’ fish, my grandfather made new Sanke. It have beautiful ‘Gin’ and have special body shape. Many people called it, ‘Sanke form Matsunosuke’, or ‘Matsunosuke Sanke’. Since then, ‘Matsunosuke’has become the name of the fish brand. It is not only for Sanke. So people call our fish and my uncle’s fish,, it has magoi gene, is ‘New type Matsunosuke’.” ‘Matsunosuke’. Especially the fish my father produce."


      I still wanted to be sure of what Miwa was saying so I asked her if it was really only a family name and not the bloodline of their Sanke. Her response was;

      “It is difficult to give a definition of it. Matsunosuke is a family name and also it is the bloodline of our fish. But, it is not only for Sanke. Sanke is famous, but Kohaku, Showa and other fish that have the same ‘gene’ are Matsunosuke. They all have the characteristics of body shape and ‘Matsunosuke Gin’.”


      I found this information to be truly fascinating and it led me to ask what I thought would be the next very obvious question. “Is it possible for you to tell me what Koi bloodlines your grandfather used to come up with the “Matsunosuke Sanke” or is it a secret?” To my surprise I got this response from Miwa;

      “My father said that my grandfather used any kind of Koi bloodline. He just used his fish that he produced before.”

      This shows how truly unique the “Matsunosuke” line is. It is an original line, that has been modified by Toshio, that exists no where else. The Matsunosuke line, specifically the Sanke, is very unique in its development as it introduced a new body shape and the “Matsunosuke Gin”.

      Matsunosuke is, in my mind, something very special. It represents a family, a tradition and a level of quality in Koi that is undeniable.

      Peter & Sons Koi and Pond Supply

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      -- Carl --

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    2. #2
      dick benbow's Avatar
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      so much script so little pictures
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      Dick Benbow
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    3. #3
      PapaBear is offline Senior Member
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      Well Dick, you went and did it. Now Erwinsan isn't going to be the only American Koi Kichi who is in love with the beautiful Miwa...

    4. #4
      dick benbow's Avatar
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      She's very beautiful, but a great fish netter and handler as well. She attended the University of washington here in Seattle and her english is also something to be appreciated. I'm sure jane is happy about erwin-san's ability
      to select quality, and that is why he travels to japan with her
      If you look closely in the pictures you can see Russell is not to far away, and appreciates a good lady too. That's why he has kari. (sheesh, I hope i got us all out of trouble )
      Dick Benbow
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    5. #5
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      My take from the article, is that Matsunosuke is a house name, not a lineage. So, although referring to "Matsunosuke gin," and a "Matsunosuke body" refers to specific characteristics, Matsunosuke can refer to any koi produced from that house. Is that correct?
      -- Carl --

    6. #6
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      Quote Originally Posted by cppond View Post
      My take from the article, is that Matsunosuke is a house name, not a lineage. So, although referring to "Matsunosuke gin," and a "Matsunosuke body" refers to specific characteristics, Matsunosuke can refer to any koi produced from that house. Is that correct?
      Yes.
      people like to vehemently defend their purchases and find it incredulous that anything could be better

    7. #7
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      Its like a conglomerate of koi.

      LG or GE creates many different products, all bearing the name of LG or GE. Well the same goes for Matsunosuke. Just in this case, all referring to koi.

      This is Japan's version of the coat of arms. Since so many families have the same last name, they develop a house in which that no body else possesses or very very few.

      think of a coat of arms. Many people in the FAMILY work to promote their product (whatever it is) and all of the products are pushed out with the name of Matsunosuke. It is a family effort.

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