Day 4 Snow Snow and more Snow !!

The drive to Niigata was challenging , it started with clear sky's and no wind too a blizzard and diversions , snow drift and snow ploughs. So the journey took a hour longer than expected. I arrived at The Ojiya Park Hotel at 5pm and was looking forward to the cold wet windy snowy weather that tomorrow would bring. If the weather is bad this is the best place to be!!

First stop was an appointment at Isa Koi Farm for some very high quality Tosai. I buy from Isa every year and i am very fortunate to be able to hand select so many Jumbo Tosai , after a few hours my final decision were the below. With an meeting at Nogami Koi Farm before lunch there was not time to individually photograph the Koi.

Job Done all tosai selected pictures and videoa below.

After a quick lunch in the noodle shop which is a must at least once every visit it was on to Marusei Koi Farm. First job for Hirasawa San was to dig out his Koi house from the several meters of snow that had fallen that winter.

Hirasawa's new snow blower , ready for action !

More on Hirasawa later time to go Koi Hunting , back at the hotel early tonight so hoping to add alot to the blog.

I always spend at least one full day at Hirasawa you need to as there are literally thousands upon thousands of Koi . I always buy non gosanke from here and the nisai and sansai below are superb , all chosen with bodies to grow very big. First i wanted to see what you can achieve with koi from Hirasawa so I checked out his 1 meter Koi , to see so many huge Hi Utsuri , Chagoi , Benigoi , Yamabuki etc was amazing.

These are not as big Yet ! but are heading in the right direction , all Nisai and Sansai and up to 60cm

Sansai Hi Utsuri and Gin Rin Chagoi , all female and superb quality.

The scale reticulation on all of these koi is stunning , three very high qualty Kin Aka Matsuba , Yamabuki , Beni Goi and Chagoi. You can only appreciate the quality of the skin on these Koi if you see them in the flesh , this level of Koi is what makes these trips so rewarding.

Another great day in the mountains , tomorrow I have an appointment with Marudo and Nogami.......