After ten long years, I revisited Niigata, Japan the birth place of Nishikigoi.  



                                     
                                   Overview of mud ponds in Niigata                                                                      Koi harvest in progress


Over 5 days close to 20 koi farms visited and koi from 9 farms selected and purchased.  They should arrive early November 2013.  

Koi picked range from this year's Tosai (baby koi spawned this year - 13 to 20 cm to 2 years old - 35 to 45 cm .  A very good mix of varieties of Gosanke (Kohaku, Showa and Sanke) Tancho, Karashi, Benikoi (2 years old) and very nice Tosai Budo and Ai Koromo.



                            

                     A humble and friendly koi farmer from Ojiya                                                                         Netting koi for selection



                          

                           Koshiji Farm - the Champion of Doitsu koi                                                        Not selling if the price is not right!


It was a very tiring koi buying trip but a fruitful one.  The more farms and koi you get to see the better chance of buying koi that your customers love to have in their ponds.  Do come and have a good look-see and select what you fancy.  



                            

                Mr Sakazume (In yellow polo shirt) and his farm workers                                         Extremely High grade Koromo


This is the place where this trip's very nice Koromo were purchased.  Mr Sakazume had just prepared his many tanks of Koromo to commence sale 2 days' time.  We were lucky as we ended up having the first picks ahead of his many local and overseas customers!