A&C 2008 koitrip to Japan
Day 1 - Day 2 - Day 3 - Day 4 - Day 5 - Day 6 - Day 7 - Day 8
After solving some problems with my computer I could start the continuation of day 7.
One of the breeders that I enjoy to meet is Seki Guchi. The quality of the Showa that I could purchase from him where very satisfactory and I hope that also this time I can obtain some of his unique Showa blood line. To my believes this is one of the most superb Showa blood lines in Japan. This is also one of the oldest breeding lines that is fully his own.
There is however a big difference opposed to last year because we are allowed to visit his top Jumbo Tosai. The fish that reside here are approx 8 month old and between 30 and 35 cm in size. They remain here in water from a well having a constant temperature of 22°C. A constant water change is the only filtration.
Only very few people are allowed in here and looking at the quality of the fish you can see why this is. The quality is of an unspoken level. After crawling over the beam I started my selection of the fish.
I know the price, but also the number of fish that I am allowed to select. At eight fish I have to stop. At the end these became nine which is of course super. The quality of these fish can not be described with only a few words. You have to look at the body shape and the skin quality of the these approx 8 to 9 month's old fish. Talking about Tategoi I can say that our purchase of this year is especially successful. These 9 are at the absolute top. The pictures are merely a shimmer of the real quality. These fish will leave a unbeatable impression in each pond.
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| Showa 4 Seki Guchi |
Showa 5 Seki Guchi |
Showa 6 Seki Guchi |
Showa 7 Seki Guchi |
Showa 8 Seki Guchi |
Showa 9 Seki Guchi |
Because I was also looking for some high potential parent fish we went to his Koi house where I could select 2 fish. Again the picture can not show the quality but have a look to the extra ordinary skin quality of these two Tosai Showa. Alas I was only allowed to select two Koi but I will try to select next year three additional ones from different parents but from the same blood line next year. This time the first two are in my possession. One of these however will travel to Wim because last year he already was looking for a Showa of this quality. That's we he asked me whether or not he could obtain this fish. With the promise that I can use the fish in my Koi breeding program I allowed him to take this fish to Arkel.
After this we where not yet finished to select fish from this special breeder. I also would like to obtain some high quality Pearl Ginrin. Seke Guchi is namely the only breeder in Japan that breeds these fish. It took a lot of effort to get the permission to select five top fish to come to the Netherlands. The result of my efforts can be seen at the right hand side of this text which shows two of the Pearl Ginrin Aka Muji that do not need further explanation. |
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| Pearl Ginrin 11 Seki Guchi |
Pearl Ginrin 12 Seki Guchi |
Next we left for Hirasawa. As I have agreed with him he will bring some Tategoi of his best quality and I am allowed to select some 10 of these. The quality that he brought with him is that high that I can imagine that these fish can go directly to the all Japan Young Koi Show and I have to say that some already where selected for that purpose. So I put my face directly beside the son of Hirasawa in inspected the fish in the bowl.
The price however was at such a level that I decided to bring only five of the fish with me to the Netherlands. These five however belong to the top selection of Japanese Koi.
These fish are born in August 2007 and between 15 and 20 cm in size. I can tell you that these fish are of a quality that can take my attention for the whole day.
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| Ai Goromo 13 Hirasawa |
Showa 14 Hirasawa |
Maruten Kohaku 15 Hirasawa |
Kohaku 16 Hirasawa |
Ginrin Sanke 17 Hirasawa |
Finally we went inside where we did find a superb Kigoi. Hirasawa has often many basins with fish that are obtainable but also several basins from which he is normally not selling. The fish in these basins are normally left in there to let them grow. Because he knows that I am only interested in quality he says: "If you only take one fish from this basin you can have it for a well determined price.
Because Wim is standing next to me and thus also heard the price he took already a decision before I could think. So, my congratulations go to Wim, more...