Tokyo / Isawa Bound PSKoi!

[Russell Peters]

Here is a picture of our hosts, Miwa and Toshi, driving us around. Literally.

[Russell Peters]

Here are a few shots of jumbo Tosai from Maruyama. These come from the AJKS GC. These pictures, I am afraid, are all you will see from me of these Showas. They were stunning, but because of what tghey come from, they were very, very pricey. We pulled out five and one of them alone was 500,000 yen.

We decided not to buy any and stick with his Kohaku.

[Russell Peters]

Once we put back the Showa they began to prep for Kohaku.

[Russell Peters]

The jumbo Tosai this year were outstanding. They had big beautiful patterns and were larger than last year.

Here are a few shots to wet your appetite. Enjoy!

[Russell Peters]

Next we decided to look at Maruyama's Nisai and Sansai Kohaku.

Here are a few pics.

[Russell Peters]

Back to more Jumbo Tosai Kohaku. The kohaku in the tubs were hand selected by Maruyama.

[RayJordan]

Thanks for sharing the photos from sakuma and maruyama. Beautiful koi as usual. I like the 3 step showa at sakuma. Interesting to see the tosai from the Maruyama Showa that won the 2005 AJS. They look much nicer than I would have guessed. Most/all recent AJS Grand CHampions have been a bust as breeding stock. Maybe this showa will be different. Still, I agree that $4,000 for a tosai is crazy. Breeding a AJS GC can be a huge benefit for a breeder. However for us hobbyists it can also put their koi out of our price range.

Look forward to photos from Yamamoto. Wear your long johns no koi house there. The coolest I have ever been in Japan is perched on top of Yamamotos pond wall while the wind blew snow in our face. Steam rising from the ponds built over a thermal spring just made the snow melt and run down our backs. Still worth the trip to find a special showa. Also the best hi utsuri I have ever seen in person.

Looks like Toshio is saving the best for last -Isawa Nishigoi center.I mean this with all due respect he is a rare combination of breeding genius, teacher, and saleman.

[lildude]

Quote: Originally Posted by Russell Peters Back to more Jumbo Tosai Kohaku. The kohaku in the tubs were hand selected by Maruyama.

Beautiful kohaku, especially the first pic that shows them a bit distorted...Just adds to the beauty.

[Russell Peters]

Quote: Originally Posted by RayJordan Thanks for sharing the photos from sakuma and maruyama. Beautiful koi as usual. I like the 3 step showa at sakuma. Interesting to see the tosai from the Maruyama Showa that won the 2005 AJS. They look much nicer than I would have guessed. Most/all recent AJS Grand CHampions have been a bust as breeding stock. Maybe this showa will be different. Still, I agree that $4,000 for a tosai is crazy. Breeding a AJS GC can be a huge benefit for a breeder. However for us hobbyists it can also put their koi out of our price range. Look forward to photos from Yamamoto. Wear your long johns no koi house there. The coolest I have ever been in Japan is perched on top of Yamamotos pond wall while the wind blew snow in our face. Steam rising from the ponds built over a thermal spring just made the snow melt and run down our backs. Still worth the trip to find a special showa. Also the best hi utsuri I have ever seen in person. Looks like Toshio is saving the best for last -Isawa Nishigoi center.I mean this with all due respect he is a rare combination of breeding genius, teacher, and saleman.

On Monday we spent half the day at INC looking at koi with Toshi. Toshio was still in Tokyo helping return the Ryutsu Center back after the show. You can not purchase Koi unless Toshio is there. We also went to meet with Yamamoto as well already. He needed to know which ponds we wanted to buy from because he has to lower the water to get the Koi ready. We are going back this afternoon. He had some really amazing Showa. He is also pricey, but looking at his Showa I think it is well worth it. We will see what we can find today.

Maruyama had a very, very successful breeding of his GC Showa. Even at $4,000 it was tempting. To see them in person is the only way to explain what we saw. It was amazing. He did have less expensive showa, but nothing of quality under $800.00.

[dick benbow]

I bought a kohaku baby from SFF from a national champion. I think about 20 or so came in total to the U.S....I don't believe any of them turned out to be anything extraordinary, I think mostly it's buying the dream, and being able to say you have a koi from the national champion. Anyway it was as close as i ever got to have anything "famous' in my pond. If I had the money to do it again I might be tempted but only after this koi had been bred numerous times so i had an expectation of how their older brothers and sisters turned out.