STEVE GIBBINS Wakagoi 2010
Steve Gibbins reports on the recent Wakagoi Koi Show
Venue
Prefecture to Tosu in Saga prefecture. Just as in 2009, this was the location of the All Japan Nishikigoi Promotation Association Young Nishikigoi Show, more commonly known as the Wakagoi Show. Accompanying me were Mike Snaden from Yume Koi and Darren Maughan from A4 Koi, both of whom had been my hosts for the previous few days. They’d introduced me to several of the more prominent southern breeders whom they visit. As a true ‘northern boy’, my many previous trips have been limited to Niigata and Isawa areas. That’s why I had taken the opportunity to broaden my horizons a little, and travelled down from Niigata at the beginning of the week to see for myself what the south offered.
T
arriving at the show We arrived at the show around midday
and benching was well underway. Some
About the author:
Steve Gibbins is a self confessed Nishikigoi fanatic who has held a passion for Japan since his first visit in 2003. He now travels there independently three or four times each year. As well as operating tours to Japan he is also a recognised koi photographer, supplying pictures to many of the world’s leading koi magazines, and is also the owner of Shop4Koi, a dry goods business focused on supplying only quality products which are suitable for koi ponds. .
he morning of Friday April 2 2010 found me making a three-hour car drive across the south west of Japan from Kanoashi in Shimane
1,745 koi had been entered this year, which although a little lower than the previous year still provided a huge selection of magnificent koi to view over the weekend. Friday is a great time to observe the koi as they arrive and this was how the remainder of our day was spent, making sure we sought out a few particular koi owned by Mike, Darren or their customers.
During the afternoon some particularly impressive koi arrived including a Maruten Kohaku from Dainichi which attracted a lot of attention. Also several Showa, including two from Dainichi, were put together in a vat making for an impressive spectacle. There was also a particularly nice example from Isa Koi Farm which had been sold at auction in Niigata just a few weeks before.
about the show As usual, the format of the show would be
that benching took place all day on Friday, with judging on Saturday and the awards on the Sunday. Mike was a judge this year – his first experience of judging in Japan (and
As one of the largest farms in Mushigame they have a significant number of ponds to harvest
As a true ‘northern boy’, my many previous trips have been limited to Niigata and Isawa areas
AUGUST 2010 53
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