Can a hobbyist go straight to Japan to buy fish without a broker or dealer?

[aquitori]

Can a hobbyist go straight to Japan to buy fish without a broker or dealer? Can this be done?

[dinh]

Does hobbyist have license to import live koi from Japan or other country?

[aquitori]

Let's just say buying fish Dinh, we will talk about shipping later...

[xiaohuang7]

yes, i have before.

[JasPR]

yes. It's just getting more and more difficult to get them off the mountain and cleared back home. JR

[Bern]

Yes,

A bunch of our Judges (4 plus WAGs) have just returned from Niigata & Isawa.
The breeders are all proficient in shippping, Our guys just had to obtain an import licence (easy and cheap) and take care of the collection and customs formalities on arrival in the UK (time consuming).

WAG = Wives & Girlfriends.

Some might recognise one of them - Alan Coogan.

rgds BERN

[Steve Nguyen]

I would think that the breeders would reluctant to sell to individual buyers such as hobbyist because they want to give the dealers/brokers an impression that they are protecting the dealers/brokers business. this is because most, if not all, of breeders $$$ are generate thru dealers/brokers.
then again, what do I know... I have not been on any buy trip to Japan yet.

Steve

[Lee]

Why would you want to buy on your own...?

Consider the welcome that is tendered unto a professional agent from a professional breeder who is selling that well known agent who is buying hundreds of thousands of dollars of fish year after year (to the known agent) when compared to the cooperation which would be received from a well known profesional agent/buyer entering the very same breeders green house...in comparison to someone unknown buying only a few hundred or thousand dollars of fish (from that same breeder...)

Consider also the fish and attention you would be shown in comparison to the professional agent to whom the breeder has been selling to - for years and years.

Consider also 'just being able to find'the site of the green house without the professional agent whose been there before. Or, obtaining a 'pass' though some of the sites where road reconstruction is still in progress.

Then there is knowing when they're havesting...which you won't know. And, when they're off to harvesting their next pond, which, also you which you won't know...or, be told.

Or, the simple courtesy's which are expected - which you won't know. And the method of how to 'bargain'...which you won't know.

The cost of your going with a reputable and well known agent will (in both the long and short run) will cost you far less than going-it on your own...in both time, money and trouble. That for you to consider the objective (and reason you're going) without the support of a professional along side you is in my opinion unworthy of the few dollars 'which you might' think you would save...

...is in my opinion, not worth a moment's consideration.

Thus, it is my advice that you find yourself someone who knows the 'territory'. And, I mean, someone who is 'highly' respected, 'very' well known and who has the reputation for opening the same doors which you'd take a dozen years of going to Japan on your own, in-opening.

All the best,

Lee A
Grand Cayman Island

[aquitori]

Thanks Lee, for that insight.

[Bern]

Lee.

How much of a welcome would you want?
These pics taken from the recent tour by a bunch of Brits without a dealer.

rgds BERN