What the hell is a Shinkokai.....

[aquitori]

I know this is a dealer's association in Japan and I know there are Shinkokai dealers here in the states. My question is do this dealers have a standard that they all go by? The reason I am asking is that you'll here this name mentioned in conversation and hobbyist don't know what a Shinkokai is....

[RayJordan]

Shinkokai - Is an association of professional koi dealers and breeders in Japan. They permit professionals outside of Japan to join as well. Their association puts on two major koi shows in Japan. The COmbined All Japan Show in Tokyo in Janaury and the Combined All Japan Young Koi show in April which moves around to different locations. These shows are judged by a selected team of their member dealers and breeders on a rotating basis usually individual member act as judges every four years or so.

When you hear someone referred to as a Shinkokai judge be aware they do not have a formal judges training program like the hobbyists associations. I am not saying they are not qualified. Many are 2nd and 3rd generation breeders/dealers and know a koi's value at a glance. However, from my personal observations they tend to rank koi according to their perceived $value. In other words expensive but past sale date koi and unfinished koi tend to be ranked higher by these judges vs hobbyist judges judging for appearence today.

I am not trying to be controversial just stating my opinion.

[Nancy M.]

Quote: Originally Posted by aquitori I know this is a dealer's association in Japan and I know there are Shinkokai dealers here in the states. My question is do this dealers have a standard that they all go by? The reason I am asking is that you'll here this name mentioned in conversation and hobbyist don't know what a Shinkokai is....

Shinkokai here in the states is a dealer association that some not all dealers belong to, it goes through Japan. For a dealer to become a member they must be sponsored by an existing member. There are no guidelines or standards that i know of. Maybe one of our dealers on this board can expand on this topic.

[aquitori]

Quote: Originally Posted by RayJordan Shinkokai - Is an association of professional koi dealers and breeders in Japan. They permit professionals outside of Japan to join as well. Their association puts on two major koi shows in Japan. The COmbined All Japan Show in Tokyo in Janaury and the Combined All Japan Young Koi show in April which moves around to different locations. These shows are judged by a selected team of their member dealers and breeders on a rotating basis usually individual member act as judges every four years or so. When you hear someone referred to as a Shinkokai judge be aware they do not have a formal judges training program like the hobbyists associations. I am not saying they are not qualified. Many are 2nd and 3rd generation breeders/dealers and know a koi's value at a glance. However, from my personal observations they tend to rank koi according to their perceived $value. In other words expensive but past sale date koi and unfinished koi tend to be ranked higher by these judges vs hobbyist judges judging for appearence today. I am not trying to be controversial just stating my opinion.

Ray it's your opinion and alot of people have opinions on things...That's what makes this forum cool...My question to all on this board and dealers who lurk...Why isn't there a Shinkokai Show held here every year?

[aquitori]

Quote: Originally Posted by Nancy M. Shinkokai here in the states is a dealer association that some not all dealers belong to, it goes through Japan. For a dealer to become a member they must be sponsored by an existing member. There are no guidelines or standards that i know of. Maybe one of our dealers on this board can expand on this topic.

It's funny cause you'll see the Shinkokai plague on the dealers wall and you ask yourself what the hell is that? That looks cool...To some of us we dont know what the hell a "Shinkokai" member means...

[D@z]

Quote: Originally Posted by aquitori It's funny cause you'll see the Shinkokai plague on the dealers wall

I hope that was just an unfortunate typo

[James P]

Ray pretty much covered it- Shinkokai is a promotional associate and also a trade union of sorts. They have a representative to the Japanese government agencies, a shipping station/office for members to use for export, a combine for food/pellet production etc. When you get up to Niigata it is hard to separate the koi farmers in general from the Shinkokai organization itself.

[aquitori]

Quote: Originally Posted by D@z I hope that was just an unfortunate typo

My bad, Got big fingers...Hard typing on a laptop keyboard...

[aquitori]

Quote: Originally Posted by JR Ray pretty much covered it- Shinkokai is a promotional associate and also a trade union of sorts. They have a representative to the Japanese government agencies, a shipping station/office for members to use for export, a combine for food/pellet production etc. When you get up to Niigata it is hard to separate the koi farmers in general from the Shinkokai organization itself.

Do they do alot of promotion around the world besides Japan?