A lot of people have been asking for showa of all levels , and to be honest , havnt really seen many around ! So we had a chat with Maruhiro and he said he would check his stock ponds away from the farm . So with that in mind  , we headed up there first thing today . In one day I couldn't believe the amount of new koi he had moved into the sales ponds . Soon had a few examples in the bowl , and some surprisingly good for the money ! Soon had 8 in the bowl , with a ki ursuri , and a gin rin ki utsuri as well . From here we looked around the more expansive ponds and found larger nisai hi utsuri and sanke , both female around 45-50cm . Among them there was also some smaller better quality showa , so we decided to purchase them as well . Then we started to bowl up even more better quality nisai  but I really didn't like what I was seeing , so we called a halt , and moved on to the best pond ( apart from the circle one , and we all know why we don't buy from there lol , but saying that's 3 of my koi reside there at the moment lol ) There was some sanke , showa and kohaku then bowled for the purpose of Azukari ( to leave in Japan ) . Then it all went wrong , Mark Gardner appeared from no where like the shop keeper in Mr Benn, and then a long discussion involving koi being returned , then caught up again , only to be returned once again , poor old Hinori , he didn't know what was going on , but in the end I settled on a kohaku 69cm  yonsai , and a sansai 60cm sanke , ni dan pattern and superb skin quality . The third sanke that was returned , caused great debate , and in the end someone else bought her , but it was an interesting debate lol . From here we joined Hinori and his wife for coffee and food.

Nisai 35-40cm 

Two female nisai 45-50cm , other around 35cm . 

Azukari for this summer , 69cm Kohaku and yonsai . Two marks are from anchor worm which wil be sorted out in the mudond .

60 cm ni dan sanke , sansai and going to the mud ponds this year , great skin quality !

After food and drink with the Hirasawa famiy , we went round the other side of the mountain to visit Hinori s brother Yoshikuke of Marusie koi farm  . Here we found some very noce go sanke , but at the time it had half a dozen or so people from Thailand catching up nisai . I had to take time out to watch these guys , they were laughing and joking and just generally having a good time , to the point I wondered if they were all drunk lol . But all joking it was a pleasure to see them having a good time and enjoying thier koi !

Yoshikuke promised to ring us when they had finished , but warned us they would be some time , I think it was safe to say I gathered that ! So we left and popped round to Myatora , totally sold out of nisai already  , so we looked at the tosai , very healthy and the jumbo tosai already at 25-30cm . We are starting to see a lot of breeders running low , or sold out of nisai . So with an hour or two to spare , we went back across the mountains , and through Ojiya and visited Kase koi farm . Kase and his worker Iguchi ( sp ) , have to be two of the nicest guys in the koi industry , nothing taken away from the others we visit , but these two guys are so genuine and sincere its unreal . ANYWAY , to the fish . I needed showa , and as luck would have it , he had some nisai at very good prices , this doesn't follow that the quality is low  , this time I was surprised and ended up buying many nisai showa , 35-45cm and all bred from Sekiguchi . Dainichi parents . Bright vibrant colours and superb skin quality . After this we selected some sansai , showa and a  metallic beni kumonryu , and before you all say that's a kikokoryu , its not ! I asked  Kase and he said no , different parent sets than beni kikoryu , but they looked the same to me , so call them what you like . I then selected some small shiros and matsukawabke , and did the pics and ready to go . That is until a rather large showa took my fancy , around 70cm and yonsai ,superb skin quality , ill let the fish do the talking when it returns to the uk in a few weeks time !

Nisai showa , 35-45cm

Sansai showa

Kase nisai and sansai showa

70 cm yonsai showa from Kase .

Time caught us out , and after a very enjoyable day , it was tie to return to the hotel . Tomorrow we start at Shinoda ,so join me then ..............