Nogami cover girl

I received some e-mails from Danny and Michelle at Danny's Koi Cafe - http://www.dannyskoicafe.com/ - including a copy of the cover of the latest issue of Nishikigoi Monthly magazine.

This 8 year old Kohaku was bred by Nogami Koi Farm and purchased by Danny's Koi Cafe in around April 2009 which was when I first encountered it.

At the time Danny mailed me to ask whether I knew the Koi as all him and Michelle had seen was a picture mailed to them by Ryuki Narita introducing the Koi to them.  I hadn't seen the Koi and by the time I got chance to make enquiries the Koi had already left Niigata for Narita's facility in Aichi Prefecture.

In October last year I was talking to Nogami san just prior to the harvest of the 2008 Niigata Nogyosai Grand Champion, a Kohaku also bred by him, and a Koi which was being tipped as a possible contender for the 2010 All Japan Grand Champion crown.  I showed Nogami san a copy of the picture that Danny had sent me and asked how he compared the 2 Koi.  Nogami san stated that the Nogyosai GC, as of April 2009 when they were both in the same concrete pond had better skin condition however, in the same breath he immediately stated that it was in the right hands for the best to be got out of it.

One thing breeders in Niigata don't have is finishing facilities in preparation for Koi shows.  When I interviewed Hisashi Hirasawa (Marudo) last year that was something that he wished to build in the future so that they could really develop high quality Koi past 2 or 3 years old by which age now they are invariably sold.  I was mailed a couple of weeks back by a Niigata-Nishikigoi.com visitor asking if I could do something on how the breeders prepare Koi for shows.  In Niigata such 'grooming' is pretty much non existent as far as I'm aware, the Nogami Nogyosai GC spent November 2009 - February 2010 in a relatively small pond in the Koi house temporarily used by Masao Kato when his Koi are harvested - http://www.niigata-nishikigoi.com/node/577.

However, back to the Kohaku in question which, since April 2009 has been in the care of Ryuki Narita considered undisputedly as the master of preparing Koi for shows.  Amongst those that his groomed of late are the 'Super Mask' owned by Mark and Martin from the UK (2006), Sakura, the Dainichi Showa (2007),  and the current Dainichi Kohaku Grand Champion.  The arrival of the truck from Narita Koi Farm to the All Japan Show is always something to anticipate, the number and quality of Koi that arrive is unsurpased and a sight to behold.

The Nogami Kohaku was one of the Koi that Ryuki brought to the 2010 All Japan Show, at which point I think it was something like 89cm.  I'd heard from Shinji Murata just prior to the show that the Koi was looking in excellent condition. It was one of 8 female Kohaku in the 90bu class, amongst the others were an All Japan Show runner up, a Niigata Nogyosai Grand champion and 2 All Japan Rinyukai Grand Champions.  In the company it was in Danny and Michelle knew the Koi was out of it's depth in 2010 to challenge for the GC title.  It did however manage to take 2nd placed 90bu Kohaku, effectively placing it 3rd behind the Grand Champion (also best in variety) and the 90bu Kokugyo winner (Nogami's Nogyosai Grand Champion).

The 3 top Kohaku in the order they were placed.

You can see the other contenders here - http://www.niigata-nishikigoi.com/node/671.

The Koi has since continued to be raised in one of Ryuki's concrete ponds at his facility and has now passed through the 90cm mark and is presently being prepared for one of the autumn's major hobbyist shows, yet to be decided, either the Rinyukai Show which takes place in Tokyo on 13th and 14th November or the ZNA Show which takes place somewhat later than usual this year on the 4th and 5th December.

Apparently reports suggest she is looking good and Ryuki says it's the best Koi currently on the farm.

Keep an eye out for it over the coming months.