A 2nd day with 't Vingeling - 3rd stop Marudo

Following lunch in Kawaguchi we headed back along Route 17, through Ojiya, and to Marudo.

At the risk of getting boring for repeating myself, as I said the other day - http://www.niigata-nishikigoi.com/node/686 - for me this is the number 1 Koi farm in Niigata.

In the same Koi house as the Gin Matsuba purchased by Van Keulen - www.koicentrum.nl - at the link above Johan and Aty spotted a pond of Shiro Utsuri of interest and, having established the price, started to bowl some up, assisted by Kiko san, Hisashi Hirasawa's daughter.

About 10 Koi were picked up originally before being whittled down to the 5 below.  These nisai Shiro Utsuri originate from Omosako bloodline parent stock. 

From the main facility we headed to the facility in Sanbusyo, adjacent to Hoshikin and Dainichi, were the farm's tosai are housed.  You can see this same facility back in June 2008 when we spent the day with Devin - http://yamakoshi.blogspot.com/2008/06/day-in-life.html - back then the thought of it being full of tosai was just beginning.

As we've seen so many times over the last week or so there are thousands of very healthy tosai around Niigata breeders, Marudo no exception, the shot below of the tateshita for sale.

This facility is actually several different Koi houses linked together that can all be isolated and at times very strict disinfection is in place between them including different sets of shoes for use in each.  Whilst the ponds above contained tateshita, ponds in the adjoining Koi houses contained oyagoi and tategoi, along with one pond of isolated Koi that went to the All Japan Show.

Hisashi san called me over to look at the Oyagoi, many of which are in excess of 85cm, some over 95cm.  Unfortunately getting a decent pic of the Koi was impossible without turning the water flow off, something I didn't want to trouble Hisashi san to do.

The picture below shows some tategoi tosai in one of the ponds.  As I stood studying them everyone started to depart to head towards Dainichi.  I could have stood much longer but Hisashi san joked that meant me too and somewhat reluctantly I left with the rest of the group. 

Understandably Johan and Aty were delighted with their purchase.  Johan explained that they've bought from Marudo on previous occasions and the Koi always arrive in excellent condition and sell imediately perhaps adding credence to my suggestion of being the number one breeder in Niigata.