A&C 2009 koitrip to Japan
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Part 8
It became quite late yesterday at the birthday party. So we got up having a heavy feeling and took a refreshing shower. This was the least necessary to have a good wake up. Still having "heavy" legs and head (caused by the non-alcoholic beer) the walk to the coffee machine was a more heavy task than the preceding days. Ultimately I was glad to sit and enjoy the coffee. It does really good to feel human again after a good cupper in the morning.
By the way we talk sometimes about weather extremes in our little frog country, but here it is clearly much worse. Yesterday we had temperatures of 24 degrees and now no more than 5. Cloudy and rainy and not much chance of improvement. Thus, in other words, a minor difference of 20 degrees, this really complements our mood this morning.
After an additional coffee we are off to Aoki. I visit already quite a few years and we became a little bit more then just buying customers. Aoki and his son greet us more like old friends than as clients. As usual first the coffee cups are filled and emptied during a friendly chat.
We already know what quality Aoki his and what varieties he grows. In general, his main breeding is Doitsu in several varieties and also increasingly Matsu Kawabake and Kujaku. However since the last two or three years is a new variety added to this list, and with much success, namely the Goshiki.
When I saw his Tosai and Nisai Goshiki I was immediately deeply impressed. Therefore I asked him whether he wanted to cooperate in the NVN Koi challenge. After a briefly explanation what the intention is and that the fish development will be followed for two years Aoki agreed with a bow and as he himself said in honored.
So we went directly to his Tategoi tank with Goshiki and we carefully selected some few fish. Because we were selection from this tank I asked whether it was possible to select also some for myself. We agreed poke, however, that this was limit6ed to only 10. In particular some of the new breeding lines, as Ki Kikokuryu.
Now back to the Goshiki challenge, eleven Goshiki having thus two extra in reserve. I think the quality just like the Shiro Utsuri speaks for itself.
Next I saw many more fish in other tanks and therefore some of these were also bowled. This time, however, namely Goshiki and some Kujaku. Also two Hariwake changed owners.
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| Aoki Kujaku 1 |
Aoki Kujaku 2 |
Aoki Maruten Kujaku |
Aoki Hariwake 1 |
Aoki Hariwake 2 |
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| Aoki Goshiki 3 |
Aoki Goshiki 2 |
Aoki Goshiki 1 |
Aoki Tancho Goshiki |
Aoki Doitsu Sanke |
Aoki Mix
Being still very satisfied with the fish we just bought we got to
Hoshikin.
If you are in for top Kohaku then you have to see Hoshikin.
We know that if you go for top Kohaku you have to pay a solid price. So we walked along his tanks with Jumbo Tosai and just to give you in impression; you can see here 9 months old and 35 to 40 cm length fish with an amazing body. After a long discussion and many times NO we are allowed to a selection of four. If it were two I would have been already pleased but four is of course a lucky number.
The two-and four-step Kohaku are for Leo and the other two come to Grubbenvorst. So what you see below are 9 months old or better sais young fish of 35 to 40 cm. All features for the highest possible potential future are present in these fish. I am very happy that we got these fish from the Kohaku master. Finally we bowled a two-year Kohaku of 60 cm.
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| Hoshikin Kohaku 1 |
Hoshikin Kohaku 2 |
Hoshikin Kohaku 3 |
Hoshikin Kohaku 4 |
Hoshikin Tosai Kohaku |
Finally, on this day we went to Yamazaki to make a selection Hariwake and Shiro Matsuba. Also we selected a bowl Ochiba Shigure. And as cherry on the cake we have succeeded to select some Beni Kumonryu.
Yamakazi Mix
Yamakazi Ochiba Mix
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| Yamakazi Beni Kumonryu 1 |
Yamakazi Beni Kumonryu 2 |
Yamakazi Beni Kumonryu 3 |
Yamakazi Beni Kumonryu 4 |
I wish you lots of fun while looking at the pictures and let you carry away in the art of Koi from Japan, more...