Japan trip

[B.Scott]

I'd like a bit of info on what is involved with buying trips to Japan. Lets leave out the airfare, transport costs to the koi area of your choice and hotel costs. For all intents and purposes you have arrived where you want to be and are ready to go shopping

I would presume that one would have arranged to go with a local dealer from back home but what are now the hidden costs? Of course you pay for the fish you buy but what are the commissions the prices of arranging transport to the airport and handling, the person who drives you about, shipping and translators etc?

B.Scott

[mitten]

Big B, These seem to be the questions that, if answered forthrightly by the experienced among us, could mean the difference between satisfaction and dissatisfaction with a novice buying trip. Also the difference between getting a wonderful value and the bitterness of a ripoff.

Isn't it likely that our differnet cultures would approach these questions about the seeking and buying and delivering relationships differently?

Let me say that the trip is doable for me financially, the fish I sought could not be top tier, the attending fees are the fearsome component of the $$$ equation. Always, I have decided to just stay home. I've even said that the Bay Area is as close to Japan as I'll get.

[aquitori]

Guess it depends if your goin to Japan as a back packing tour or with a group...

[dick benbow]

commisions usually run around 20% of a sale. You have shared lorry expernses for the rented vehicle and gas. then you have the cost of transportation back home (shipping). if you intend to hit Niigata and then turn around and head south to hiroshima a railpass makes good economic sense. I figure roughly that a third of the expense of a trip is getting there, a third is keeping yourself going while there and a third is what is the cost of shopping. When i went I went with either joel at pan intercorp or peter at infiltration. Scott, I think if I were you, I'd be thinking to consider Tony Mc Cann. Also many have used fujio Oomo as a tour guide.

[s2chang]

The backdoor business side of Niigata is inefficient and very ugly. Breeder, broker and YOUR dealer work as a team to protect their interest!

It is not the agreed 20% commision that breaks you. It is the inflated price PLUS its 20% commision AND the feeling of being zapped that break you. stevec

[l113892]

I have been to Japan three times and I have not had Steve's experience of getting ripped off. 20 percent covers it. You can try Fujio but unless you choose a month other than October, you will find that Fujio is far too busy. As for the interpreter, even without one, you can conduct business. A calculator is passed back and forth between the breeder, dealer and yourself. 1.2 times the number of yen the breeder punches into the calculator and there you are. A box to the states might cost $260 so you can consider the size of the fish for the overall costs. I think that far too much is made of the risks of getting ripped off. To me its very simple- you have a fish in front of you- a price with commission and shipping- either the fish is worth the price or it is not- end of story. If you don't recognize the value of a koi- you stand to get ripped off- otherwise, enjoy a fabulous trip to Japan and I'll see you the week of October 14th, 2007.

[gregbickal]

It always a good idea to know where the breeder is, so when you see some nice koi you can buy, Mike might remember this pic. What were we looking at in that tank, Doitsu Hariwaki?

"all the koi in this tank are under $100" was the phrase I was looking for on my trip

[dubtaco]

Quote: Originally Posted by gregbickal "all the koi in this tank are under $100" was the phrase I was looking for on my trip

And, were you able to find it?

[gregbickal]

Quote: And, were you able to find it?

Oh yes, found lots of fish in the $60-$100 range. All Nisai.
2 Male Kohakus at Nogami
2 Male Shiro Utsuri from Kaneko (one turned out to be female)
1 Female Kujaku at Kaneko (died in eathquake)
1 Female Platinum from Chogorou
2 Yamas and a Gin Chagoi from Hirashin (one yama turned out to be female)

[l113892]

These are the initial purchase price +/- commission and not the landed price.