Koi Muppet's On Tour

[Bruised Knee]

must be a dream come true to harvest a mud pond -does Gregg know the value of those koi he's carrying from the mudpond to the truck

the white on those koi from the pics is incredible esp Matuse nisais kohakus.

as they say bob, keep those pics coming.

Yip

[red koi]

Hello Koi boys,
Really nice pictures
Lucky Gregg I bet he was in his element, what an experience!!!
Keep the pictures coming - much appreciated

Kind Regards
Zarina

[Capt Nemo]

Hey Guys,

Great set of Photos Bob..... just need a few more mate

Yamatoya sure is doing the biz at the moment, did you guys buy anything from him......(please tell me you did)



Luv the Big Girls wow !



so wish I was with you lot, but to many nappies to do at the mo ........ boooooo



Capt'n

[Taggy]

Very interesting post's/Blog,certanly tune in every day.Love your 5 Bob especially as Tosai are rarely seen this time of year.

Greg you lucky guy a moment to cherish thats for sure,

Certanly a eye opener food wise looking at some of the food you have had i dont think my delicate tummy would tolerate the food over there,perhaps a wise move by myself not to come,mind jealous as hell.

How are your body clocks now are they adjusted and are you sleeping ok?? Just think you have got to go through it all again on your return!!!!

How are the koi prices looking at the dealers much the same as in previous years or have they taken into consideration the low Yen??

Certanly i have found looking at Darrens & Simon's sites a little expensive for my pocket but i suppose i should expect that for Nissai and above and obviously the Yen does play apart as dealers do need to make a bit of profit.

Anybody else in your party bought anything yet???


Keep up the pics and the Blog,makes great reading.


Graham

[eds]

I'm loving every update Bob and the rest of you; please keep posting! Looks like a really special trip and that you're really getting your moneys' worth out there! How many fish have you guys bought? They all look like really special ones that's for sure. I'll take a couple of the goshiki!!!!

[Bob Hart]

I'll have that very nice nisai kohaku in the bowl if you can get it in your bags!
Sue xx

Not sure Gregg would let you have it though!!!!!!!!!! It's being grown on for another year, but I'll let Gregg tell you the whole story .......

[Bob Hart]

Lots of questions, keep them coming please

Food - Been eating very well, some reall good food here. Sometimes you're not sure what will turn up, but no one is hungry, all washed down with a few pints as well.

What have we bought - We all purchased from Matsue, those Kohaku's were class. Within the Muppets, Takigawa and Yamatoya Koi have also been purchased.

Koi pictures - I'm taking somewhere in the region of 100 to 200 pictures per day. It just takes time to load them up and post them, so I just pick a few of interest..

Sleeping - no problems there, beer helps!!! I'm not a great sleeper anyway, so 6-7 hours does me fine.

Driving about - That's the big issue with doing Southern Japan. Every day we drive for a few hours to the next breeder. Yesterday we laft Yamatoya in Shimane and drove down to Kuyoshu Island where we are now. 3-4 hours that drive, got here around 8pm. Bit of a meal, beers, then some sleep. Up now at 6.45, off the Ueno today, then Okawa. Different hotel every night. Big day today though, Showa, Ueno is one of the best, so looking to dip in today!!!!!

Yen rate - Got 170 just before flying out, so it is a tad more expensive than we would have hoped for.

[Gazza]

Hi guys,

Managed to steal the Internet connection from Bob the poster so a quick update and a few picture before i jump in the shower

What can i say i think Bob has filled you guys in but WOW have we seen some cracking fish....and some even bought the odd one

So here are some picture of a few ponds from Yamatoya who buy the way is a great guy and this guy has some serious fish of unbelievable quality the pictures in no way do them justice.

[img]http://www.koipix.com/gallery/albums/userpi ... G_7520.JPG[/img]

[img]http://www.koipix.com/gallery/albums/userpi ... G_7525.JPG[/img]

What about this for a Bekko???

[img]http://www.koipix.com/gallery/albums/userpi ... G_7530.JPG[/img]

[img]http://www.koipix.com/gallery/albums/userpi ... G_7577.JPG[/img]

We Cool..................................Sweet!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[img]http://www.koipix.com/gallery/albums/userpi ... G_7609.JPG[/img]

[img]http://www.koipix.com/gallery/albums/userpi ... G_7608.JPG[/img]

[Bob Hart]

A few more pictures from Yamatoya, as Gazza has just said, they are all top quality. You wanted Koi pictures, here's some more then? Any other requests?????

No 1 Nisai Showa
[img]http://www.koipix.com/gallery/albums/userpi ... G_8668.JPG[/img]

A very nice Nisai Kohaku which caught my eye a few times
[img]http://www.koipix.com/gallery/albums/userpi ... G_8687.JPG[/img]

One of the big girls from the big pond, that's a very big bowl
[img]http://www.koipix.com/gallery/albums/userpi ... G_8702.JPG[/img]

Another big girl from the big pond
[img]http://www.koipix.com/gallery/albums/userpi ... G_8720.JPG[/img]

And another! Who needs snow when you can top up your tan!!!!!
[img]http://www.koipix.com/gallery/albums/userpi ... G_8699.JPG[/img]

Yes it was a big bowl with a youngster in it
[img]http://www.koipix.com/gallery/albums/userpi ... G_8700.JPG[/img]

Sansai, very nice
[img]http://www.koipix.com/gallery/albums/userpi ... G_8698.JPG[/img]

At the far end is Yamatoya San, next in if the head of the ZNA, then a few of ZNA San's team, then some dodgy looking UK Koi dealer!!!!!!
[img]http://www.koipix.com/gallery/albums/userpi ... G_8660.JPG[/img]

[Capt Nemo]

Hi Gazza/Bob....


Brilliant set of photos guys just what we need here back home..... In the SNOW !!!!


Thanks ever so much for taking the time to post them, well done.


look foward to next lot


Take care, have fun, and empty your wallets



Tony

[des]

Gregg really enjoyed the mud pond experiance very kind of Yamatoya to ask hime to help also asked if he would come back next year and stay for a week
to help with the harvest next year.
[img]http://i87.photobucket.com/albums/k155/KOIB ... /067-2.jpg[/img]
Gregg has now blown his budget on an inazuma kohaku from Matsue 57cm
- [img]http://i87.photobucket.com/albums/k155/KOIB ... an/066.jpg[/img]
and
a 2 step nidan kohaku from yamatoya
- [img]http://i87.photobucket.com/albums/k155/KOIB ... an/307.jpg[/img]
and
5 little ones consisting of 3 kohakus and 2 showas from Matsue also.
- [img]http://i87.photobucket.com/albums/k155/KOIB ... an/096.jpg[/img]

to view all other photos from our adventures, see http://www.photobucket.com" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;


- then search for KOIBOY-greggharris
- click on my album
- Japan

or

http://s87.photobucket.com/albums/k155/KOIB ... ris/Japan/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[amanda]

great photos guys.
Come on then Bob and Gazza wat have you bought and have you lost control of your wallets yet?

have you bought any big uns?

[Bob Hart]

Bit rushed at the mo, going out in 15-minutes, so the pictures may come later. Wrote this lot in the car and have just copied it across.

Now added photo's.


Visited Ueno in Kyusho Island firstly this morning, after stopping off at the ‘Breakfast spot'. Ueno is well known for his Showa’s and Kohaku’s and was somewhere I wanted to visit.

He grows all of his Koi indoors, favouring this and having better control over KHV. His poly tunnels inside were therefore very hot and we were all very sweaty. Popping outside to cool down was the favourite sport, but being careful not to miss any Koi being netted up at the same time.

We looked at some Yonsai and Nisai.

Yonsai
[img]http://i447.photobucket.com/albums/qq196/Bo ... G_8763.jpg[/img]

[img]http://i447.photobucket.com/albums/qq196/Bo ... G_8758.jpg[/img]

52cm Nisai, which was purchased
[img]http://i447.photobucket.com/albums/qq196/Bo ... G_8774.jpg[/img]

Smaller Kindai Nisai (not measured) which was also purchased
[img]http://i447.photobucket.com/albums/qq196/Bo ... G_8795.jpg[/img]

Tosai as the auto feeder went off, which one?????????
[img]http://i447.photobucket.com/albums/qq196/Bo ... G_8791.jpg[/img]

Ueno San absolutely delighted with his poster
[img]http://i447.photobucket.com/albums/qq196/Bo ... G_8807.jpg[/img]

And signing the larger poster
[img]http://i447.photobucket.com/albums/qq196/Bo ... G_8811.jpg[/img]


We left Ueno and travelled to Okawa also in Kyusho Island about an hour or so away. Okawa does a lot of varieties, specialises in Kohaku, Shiro & Showa.
He had this pond of which these 3 Shiro’s were bowled up. The best one was purchased, any guesses??????
[img]http://i447.photobucket.com/albums/qq196/Bo ... G_8820.jpg[/img]

These Showa’s were then bowled up.
[img]http://i447.photobucket.com/albums/qq196/Bo ... G_8842.jpg[/img]

This one was purchased, which was very high quality.
[img]http://i447.photobucket.com/albums/qq196/Bo ... G_8846.jpg[/img]

These guys just love the posters!!!!!!
[img]http://i447.photobucket.com/albums/qq196/Bo ... G_8869.jpg[/img]

[img]http://i447.photobucket.com/albums/qq196/Bo ... G_8870.jpg[/img]


Left Okawa for a 4-hour drive to Omosako, who we will visit tomorrow

[Bob Hart]

Went out with Hiro from Omosako Koi farm last night, we ate a few 'odd' things and the food just kept on coming!!!!!! As did the beer.

Gregg liked the beer. We'll see soon how much it liked him!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


Off to Omosako Koi Farm this morning, should be interesting

[GERRY5]

great photos bob, ..i reckon the bottom shiro myself but what do i know ....and what lucky so and so bought the showa ??? what a real nice fish...carry on muppets carry on