Posted 23 Mar 2010 - 20:23

This afternoon was spent with Danny and Michelle of Danny's Koi Cafe - www.dannyskoicafe.com - who've I've known for several years now, they have been on www.koichat.com during that time and were one of the original advertisers on www.niigata-nishikigoi.com when it launched. Usually we only meet up at Koi shows here in Japan so it was interesting to spend some more time with them today, as I hope to do over the next couple of days.

We met up at Dainichi this afternoon, I arrived on bicycle anticipating I'd be able to hitch a lift for the rest of the day, unfortunately they had 3 customers with them filling the Toyota Prius hire car. Luckily Ryuki Narita was also with them in his own car giving me access to a ride.

First we went into what I'd describe as the main Koi house, then the tosai house which I've visited several times over the last few weeks.

Danny and Michelle were after a 'special' sansai, something to leave to grow on, and Ryuki arranged with Shigeru Mano for us to visit the fabled 'secret Dainichi Koi house'. Whilst the location of the 'secret' house is perhaps the worst kept secret in Japan, it was the first time I'd actually entered inside. The value of the Koi contained within this small ramshackled Koi house doesn't bare thinking about, amongst them some of the farm's oyagoi, more of which later.

Several Showa were bowled first, all from the farm's Kokugyo oyagoi.






One of the Showa in particular was significantly different to the other 2 in several ways. First up it's sumi and beni were less developed than the other 2. In addition it was somewhat larger than the other 2, somewhere around 68-70cm. All 3 Showa are sansai. Shigeru stated that whilst the one in the centre of the last picture above was the show Koi for now, the one below was the Koi for the future if left in Japan. Sharp eyed may notice some damage to the pec on the right as you look from the head. It had indeed broken the lead ray, something which has been cut and sewn, and Shigeru anticipates a full recovery.