Tokyo / Isawa Bound PSKoi!

[dick benbow]

Russ, just a sincere thank-you for taking time during a more than busy time for you to share the trip with us unfortunates that did not get to go...it is really appreciated. looking forward to your travelog of visiting dealers

[cocoyboy]

Outstanding coverage Russ! I like that Kohaku Mike had entered in the show. A lot of nice Showas entered this year.

[jnorth]

Thanks for the photos Russ. Looks like there was a lot of great koi.

[lildude]

Quote: Originally Posted by jnorth Thanks for the photos Russ. Looks like there was a lot of great koi.

Like a kid in a candy shop!

[RayJordan]

The Isawa breeders I like to visit are: T. Sakai, Sakuma, Maruyama, Hiroi, and Yamamoto. Here are some koi I bought last year in Isawa. Hiroi GR showa, Maruyama Kohaku, Sakuma Sanke. THe showa is from Yamamoto breeds old style showa and hi utsuri.

[dcny]

Thanks for all the pictures Russ!!!

[Russell Peters]

Quote: Originally Posted by RayJordan The Isawa breeders I like to visit are: T. Sakai, Sakuma, Maruyama, Hiroi, and Yamamoto. Here are some koi I bought last year in Isawa. Hiroi GR showa, Maruyama Kohaku, Sakuma Sanke. THe showa is from Yamamoto breeds old style showa and hi utsuri.

Ray, you got it right, the list for us is Toshio Sakai, Sakuma, Maruyama and Yamamoto. I'm sorry though, there is no prize for being correct.

[Russell Peters]

At the Sacramento Koi Show in October 2006, Dan Rutledge gave a gift to Toshio Sakai. It is a water color of Mr. Sakai's three All-Japan Show grand champions.

Since it was such a large watercolor Mr. Sakai could not take it back with him. Mike and I brought it with us this trip. Take a look.

[Russell Peters]

This morning we were picked up by Toshi Sakai and went over to the Isawa Nishikigoi Center. After spending the morning looking at Koi (pictures to follow later), Miwa and Toshi drove us to see Sakuma.

I was quite excited about the prospects as I have heard and read many good things about his farm.

After we spent some time with their dog Jack, (this dog spoke no English)we were taken to the first greenhouse. Inside the first greenhouse we found some Nisai and Sansai almost all of which were sold. We soon explained that what we wanted was to see his best jumbo Tosai. Sakuma eplained that this year his jumbo Tosai would not be ready until June. We shifted gears and went over to some of his outdoor concrete ponds and Sakuma started pulling out a few jumbo Nisai.

After looking at the jumbo Nisai we were told that most were already sold. We then told him that we were looking to acquire 50pcs. of Nisai in the 35cm range. Sakuma then explained that back in October - November someone had bought ALL of his mud ponds and that what he was showing us was all that he had left until his Tosai were ready.

We bought a few pieces of jumbo Nisai. Here are some pictures of Jack and the Koi.

[Russell Peters]

I have been looking forward to seeing Maruyama for a year now. We had picked up some of his best jumbo Tosai last year and new that he would have many, many gems for us to pick from again.

It is a bit of a distance between Sakuma and Maruyama. Here is some of the scenery.