A nice day for a stroll.......

......home from Mushigame.

As I mentioned the other day I've recently been trying to take a daily bicycle ride, much to the amazement of those around the area, in preparation for the winter.  This exercise has also been spurred on by the fact that at the Yamazaki harvest the other day - http://www.niigata-nishikigoi.com/node/594 - my waders actually fitted properly for the first time, as opposed to how they fitted last year - http://yamakoshi.blogspot.com/2008/09/end.html.  Unfortunately a shoulder injury has hampered my cycling and, with the sun high in the sky, I therefore decided walking was the order of the day.  Not knowing I'd be sure to get a lift home, and certainly not wanting to walk both ways, I decided to arrange a lift to Mushigame and then walk home.

A quick e-mail confirmed my chosen chauffer was free and would happily drop me to Mushigame.  On arrival at the Shintaro tosai ponds I asked them to drop me off so I could take an updated Mushigame panorama.  'What time shall I come and get you?', they asked.  'I'm walking I insisted, that's the point!' 'Crazy!', was the reply.  Probably right but ho hum.

The light wasn't great for the panorama but I took it anyway and headed up the hill towards the village.  Just as I turned the corner at Yamamatsu Saito san drove past me, that was my first coffee stop scuppered!  Thankfully a minute later he'd rounded the block and arrived back at the house.

It's been about a week since we've last spoke and with the new issue of Gekkan Nishikigoi arrived some interesting conversation ensued before I headed off, before doing so popping in to see the tosai which it's been perhaps 3 or 4 weeks since I last looked at them.

The Showa appear even more interesting that last year, there seem a lot more kindai patterns than last year.  As with all the tosai in the Koi house they were as fit as a fiddle coming charging for food as soon as the door opened.

As I stood there watching them for 10 or 15 minutes it occured to me that I've never updated on the nisai Showa that were harvested in October despite covering them in such detail previously.  I'll update tomorrow.

From Shintaro I headed up past Kazuto and Marusada and headed for Maruju.  When I arrived without a truck everyone asked, 'jitensha?', meaning bicycle, they've known me cycle there before.  I explained I was walking again to cries of disbelief.  Everyone was working down at the bottom Koi house where the tategoi tosai are kept, along with some other nisai.  I mentioned earlier in the spring about Yasu's tosai Showa - http://www.niigata-nishikigoi.com/node/334 - sadly I don't have any pictures of them then.

Yasu called me over and promptly netted the Koi below telling me this was the Koi that I'd highlighted as number 1 back in April.  I have to confess that I don't remember it particularly but it's progress will do for me.  It was, after all, only about 15cm when I picked it out.

The Showa below was Yasu's number 1 back in April and still remains his number 1 tategoi stating that in 2 or 3 years it will be the best Koi.  Time will tell, I sure hope he's right!

It had turned into a beautiful afternoon as I prepared to leave.  There is a guy that often helps out at Maruju, indeed you can see him in the pics here operating the concrete core cutter - http://www.niigata-nishikigoi.com/node/526.  He called me over and told me he was going back to Ojiya soon so he'd drive me.  I insisted I was walking and bade them farewell.

First stop was the vending machine outside the convenience store in Mushigame for some liquid refreshment.  Just as I reached it a kei truck pulled up next me, it was Toshinori Ishihara of Yagenji.  Was everything OK, did I need a lift, where was I going, etc.  I explained I was going to Ojiya and walking, despite dogged persistence he finally drove on, probably doubting my sanity and his subsequent safety more than anything.

It was unbelievably warm as I walked down from Mushigame, stopping briefly to take another panorama as the light was infinitely better than earlier, I'll post it later.

As I wandered down through Yamanaka I couldn't help but think about all the stories that I'd heard of the early breeders, those that truly started our global industry, having to walk from Yamakoshi down what would have been little more than a dirt track to Ojiya Station with their Koi before loading them onto a train which would be the start of their journey around Japan.  Oh how we take modern luxuries for granted.

Along route 291 I was passed by numerous breeders who waved, thankfully I didn't have to justify my sanity as they were all passing the other way so didn't stop.  Just as I reached Sakazume there was a beep of a horn behind me.  It was the guy from Maruju all but begging me to get in the car so he could drive me the rest of the way.  I managed to persuade him that I really was OK walking.

By now the light was fading.  Earlier I'd received a message from Hiroshi asking if I was at home, i'd replied I was walking home from Mushigame.  'Does that mean you'd like a lift?', we asked.  'Nope, not at all', I replied.

As I passed under the Shinkansen tunnel by Miyaishi I could see the figure of Tsuyoshi san coming towards me to check and lock the Koi house.  As we got closer he had his usual look of amazement on his face at seeing me.  Before he said anything I stated, 'don't call me crazy!'.  'Where have you come from?', he asked.  'Maruju', I replied.  He just shook his head and said 'unbelievable'.  He knew already of my shoulder pain and then pointed out that tomorrow my legs would hurt, at which point they started to hurt.  I again turned down the offer of a lift before carrying on my way.

There is a lady lives in the house next to the Torazo greenhouse and whenever I walk past she always says a very cheery, 'konnichiwa'. Today she asked why I was walking because every day I cycle past.  Whether she understood my explanation I've no idea.  Sometimes you are very conspicuous as a gaigin.

Despite the pain induced by Tsuyoshi san I carried on, spurred on by my continued thoughts of the Koi breeders over half a century before who'd trodden the same path to share their Koi with the rest of Japan and then the rest of the world.

Exactly 2 hours after taking the Mushigame panorama photos I passed this blue 'shelter' just a short distance past Isa Koi Farm.  You'll find similar shelters and signs all over the area.   Japan is of course legendary for it's vending machines from which you can allegedly purchase almost anything, although I'm sure much of this is an urban myth.  I recall on my first visit in 2001 there being many alcoholic drink vending machines on the streets, these are seemingly all now gone, I know of only one in the village of Muikimachi near Nogami's facility.  They still proliferate in hotels.  Cigarette vending machines are now strictly controlled by 'TASPO' cards issued to over 20's only.  Until a few months ago this shelter had a drinks vending machine next to it, I would happily stop and grab a soft drink on my way to the mountains.  One day my inquisitiveness got the better of me and I stuck my head in the shelter, 3 vending machines offering adult movie DVD's for just 1000yen each.  I never did use that drink vending machine again, my kei truck parked next to the adult movie shelter is hardly conspicuous!

Anyway, around 17KM from Maruju to home in around 2hours 30mins.  God I'm knackered!