Is a Koi Buying Trip In Your Future?
- Kevin Warren
- 25 avr.
- 7 min de lecture
A journey through Niigata's Living Art
As the world of Koi Ponds has grown so to has the interest in seeing the place where Nishikigoi, koi, began as we know it today. The Ojiya and Yamakoshi regions of Niigata Prefecture Japan are that birth place.
On April 1, 2005, Yamakoshi, along with the towns of Oguni (from Kariwa District), the town of Nakanoshima (from Minamikanbara District), and the towns of Koshiji and Mishima (both from Santō District), was merged into the expanded city of Nagaoka.
Imagine, you’re on a Koi Trip to Japan and all of your idolized, famous breeders are now standing with you, answering questions and working with your tour provider and youreself to choose the Nishikigoi of your dreams.
Living Art: Meeting The Artists
Many have referred to Koi as “Living Jewels” due to their color since Mr. Kimiaki Koshihara, used the term. Koshihara San was the first Chairman of the Japan Nishikigoi Association or as it’s known now, the All Japan Nishikigoi Promotion Association.
Personally, I see koi not just as jewels but as living abstract art. The Showa variety particularly has the qualities of proper abstract paintings. Kohaku on the other hand is rather minimalist especially compared to an Asagi with it's blue mesh like pattern over it. Of course there are many other combinations of color, beauty, in the geneology of Nishikigoi.
Koi breeders don’t work with paint and canvas; they work with breeding pairs they’ve developed themselves at their own farms. They match females with males, monitoring the colors, body structure, and overall features of the outcome. Time, patience, and experience are the koi breeders' brush and paint.
Deep Dive Into Learning
I’ll never forget my first trip to Niigata with Shawn Rosen from Koi Market Aquatic Nursery, my local dealer. Everything I imagined about what a real Koi Farm would be like was turned on its head. Is it a farm or would calling them Koi Galleries be more appropriate? Our broker from OrnaFish Japan, Jeroen Dregman, has lived in Niigata and worked with the breeders for decades, and his knowledge of koi and the business is vast.
Simply listening to Jeroen and Shawn interact with the breeders felt like receiving an IV drip of Nishikigoi wisdom—direct to the brain. Every day brought new insights, which for me this was like heaven.
By the end of the trip, I began to see the subtle differences between a good koi and a great Nishikigoi. Skin, or rather scale quality, color patterns that exist and those that are still barely seen but will develop over time. Wide body, slender body, short, long—it all starts to come into clear view after days surrounded by living art.
It was that first trip that made me realize I had to pursue more, share the experience of the koi breeders' world and what it took to produce and provide the world with Nishikigoi. A koi trip can be life-changing.
Mud Ponds: To Fill or Empty
If you’re considering a trip to buy Nishikigoi in Japan, something to consider is the timing of your trip. Depending on the time of year, you may be able to experience different things. In the spring, breeders are taking their koi from the farm to the mud ponds high in the Niigata Mountains above Ojiya. If it’s during the fall, breeders are harvesting koi from the same mud ponds. Depending on who your trip is booked with, you may or may not be able to put on waders and join in the process.
The Niigata mud ponds contrast of beautiful sunny days to covered in feet of winter snow.
The When of Koi Trips
In addition to the filling and harvesting of mud ponds, other considerations should be taken into account when planning a buying trip to Japan. Yes, breeders have koi in the springtime like Tosai, Jumbo Tosai, and some leftover stock; however, they won’t have the selection in varieties of koi that they do in the fall. It’s a pure numbers game in this case.
Summer in Japan can be brutally hot, and this is when all the Tosai from the previous year are in the mud ponds, growing. This year's newborn fry are also in the mud ponds, growing from a few cm to perhaps 25 cm. Nisai and many more from the indoor ponds are all outside now in the mud ponds. It doesn’t mean you can’t buy fish in the middle of summer; speak to your tour operator or broker before deciding on this time of year.
Winter, especially January and February, is another unique time. Niigata winters are fierce—this past January, the mountains saw over 8 meters of snow. Travel to some breeders may be difficult, but it’s also the season for koi shows.
Koi shows in Japan, like the All Japan Nishikigoi Show, are in the winter and unlike anything you may have seen elsewhere in the world. The show is the best of the best from the Nishikigoi breeders across Japan. It’s the Oscars or BAFTA of the Koi World. All the star breeders will be there; only the best Nishikigoi wins among the many categories.
Star Breeders Center Stage
Dainichi Koi Farm represented by Shigeru Mano and his brother Futoshi Mano are regulars. Shigeru has won many championships including this year's 2025 event.
Mitsunori Isa, owner/breeder at Isa Koi Farm is another renowned breeder, well known for his Showa.
Marusei Koi Farm, represented by its second-generation owner and breeder, Yoshiyuki Hirasawa, can never be overlooked for his Sanke and Kujaku.
Hisashi Hirasawa, the man doing it all at Marudo Koi Farm, is also the previous Chairman of the All Japan Nishikigoi Promotion Association.
Momotaro Koi Farm, Michio Maeda and his son Daisuke Maeda have grown into a major player in Japan with their farm and its Kohaku Nishikigoi.
Young breeders like Ryu Mano, owner of Izumiya Koi Farm, is yet another in the long list of star breeders.
The list of outstanding breeders in attendance at the All Japan Nishikigoi Show is honestly, everyone of them.
Booking Your Koi Trip
The largest dealers in your community or country of residence may provide such a service for their clients, or at least their serious clients. This is the first place of inquiry if you're interested in making the journey to Japan. I say your local dealer because they may have insight into specific Koi Trip providers they know personally.
You do need to visit breeders with a proper tour group. Koi breeders aren't prepared, nor do they necessarily have the time, to accept unannounced visitors who want to look around their aquaculture farm and may not buy koi. For many, it's not just their business; it's also their home.
Recommendations
I’d like to give some insight into who I think offers the experience and quality required for a successful Koi Travel trip to Japan. Experience and quality matter because you want the leader of your group to have a good working relationship with breeders based on years spent at their farm. Speaking Japanese also matters because while rudimentary English may exist with some breeders, not all will make an effort nor can communicate in your language. Learning and speaking basic Japanese will also make the trip better for the attendee.
Left-Right: Jeroen Dregman and Shawn Rosen choosing koi at Maruhiro Koi Farm. Right: Shawn Rosen taking a closer
look at his selections inside Aoki Koi Farm.
Kodama Koi Trips
Koi Trips UK
My second recommendation for those looking to travel to Japan is run by KoiTrips with founder Tim Waddington. Tim has over 80 trips to Niigata behind him, and his relationships with Japanese breeders are deep and respected. KoiTrips bases their buying trips out of Nagaoka, neighboring Ojiya.
If you're in the UK or EU click the link above. I think you'll find Mr. Waddington is easy to get along with and can answer any question you might have.
I hope these two recommendations account for the needs of those of you in North America, the UK, or Europe. My apologies for not having experience with offerings from South America, Asia, Africa, or other parts of the world. I hope a deep dive into the search engine of your choice shows you the options you need to get to the breeders in Japan.
For the Trade Only
OrnaFish Japan is a wholesale and export broker for Japanese Koi to importers, wholesalers, and retailers all over Europe and other parts of the world. If you are part of the professional trade in Koi, with proper business registrations, OrnaFish is a very good choice to begin your direct buying trips in Niigata, Japan.
I hope you’ve enjoyed this article in Koi Waters. Stay tuned for more stories about travel to breeders across Japan and the local attractions to see while you’re in Japan.
Safe Travels
安全な旅を
Anzen'na tabi o
Clockwise from Top Left: 1 Motoyoshi Aoki documenting purchases. 2 All hands on deck at Marusei Koi Farm for the crew from Koi Market Aquatic Nursery and OrnaFish Japan. 3 Shipping koi after a week of buying 4 The final visit of the day before heading back to town for dinner. 5 Netting fish for selections at Fukusawa Koi Farm
