Having regularly visited the Yoshikigoi Koi Farm for many years with groups of excited and enthusiastic hobbyists and dealers, this (like everything else in 2020!) is an extremely unusual trip. With the bare minimum staff on site here, I have the whole place to myself, which takes care of social distancing for me!
In my rather oversized-for-one accommodation I had a bit of a lay-in this morning (which those of you who have been here will know is a rare occurrence) followed by a leisurely breakfast for one, which is also a rare occurrence on the Farm where breakfast is usually a very sociable affair. I then sought out my hat, which is an essential item for my work here on the Farm and headed outdoors to see what is, and has been going on over the last few months since my list visit.
Everywhere appears and feels eerily quiet. Vehicles are parked up for the winter and other than the tell-tale signs of smoke rising from the heating boilers for the fish houses and the occasional fish jumping in the ponds you would think that nothing is happening here and that the Farm has been deserted.
Being ordinarily used to the hustle and bustle of clients when I am here, it is a very odd experience being here alone, but at the same time, it is extremely tranquil and I must confess to enjoying the peace and quiet.
A few moments later, I teamed up with Merv to start work for the day. On entering the Tategoi Houses it was clear that while from the outside things look exceptionally quiet, it is business as usual inside the fish houses and there is much work to be done. While the team are taking the opportunity to do a lot of repair and restoration work around the Farm leaving many areas closed off for viewing, it doesn’t mean, by any stretch of the imagination, that work stops!
There are tanks full of young fish currently being grown on to be sold. For the first time here, I noticed many Karashigoi. I also spotted some amazing young Showa in the tanks. After visiting the Tategoi Houses I then accompanied Merv to the Sales Tunnel and started to work through eight large tanks with both Nisai and Sansai available for sale. Many of the Nisai are only just Nisai as they were this season’s Jumbo Tosai that are now just coming into their second year.
The purpose of this trip is for me to select individual fish for sale through Connoisseur Yoshikigoi which will be made available to UK-based hobbyists, and to also select some special bowls that will be made available to dealers only.
I have taken a number of photos and videos of individual Koi (for Connoisseur) which I will sort through when I get back to the UK while I am undertaking my required 14-day quarantine. The Connoisseur Koi will be published online so do keep your eye on their website and social media pages for new additions available for sale on my return.
Dealers – if you are interested in bowls, please contact me via email here, or on +44 (0) 7939 278791 and I can send you details of what we have available for purchase.
To end the day, I am completing one final wander through the fish houses to indulge my personal passion. The scale and quality of the Koi here never fails to impress me and I don't think it ever will, regardless of how often I visit - with or without company!
Until tomorrow!