Patience is a virtue: Koihunt day 3

We've now been travelling around Japan for three days, but it feels as though we've only just begun. After a hearty breakfast, we were in the car at eight o'clock, heading for Hiroi Konyas. Yesterday, we managed to secure two stunning Taisho Sanke there, fresh from the mudpond. Both are Nissai measuring around 50-51 cm. We'd hoped that more newly harvested fish would arrive today, but unfortunately the koi house stayed empty.

I've noticed that many breeders in the Niigata region have yet to start the ikeage, or have only just begun. We're here early this year, but fortunately, with more than four weeks ahead of us, we have plenty of time.

Daarna was het haasten naar Hoshikin voor een event. Tegenwoordig werken veel kwekers met een lotingsysteem: je trekt een stokje en op volgorde van nummer mag je kiezen. Ik viste achter het net voor mijn eerste keuze, maar gelukkig bleef er een hele gave Showa man zitten. De huidkwaliteit van deze vis is echt top; het sumi is lakzwart en het beni diep rood. Jeffrey en Tiebo zijn ook nog even bij buurman Dainichi geweest. Shigeru Mano kwam daar net terug van een harvest. Ze keken hun ogen uit bij Nissai van 65 centimeter plus. Bizar wat Shigeru Mano daar weer heeft zwemmen.

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After a few trips to Yagenji and Yagoro – where the Hi Utsuri were simply too expensive for what they offered – we found a beautiful, light-coloured Asagi of 49 cm at Aoki Masaki, with a sharply defined orange-red mask. Exactly how I like them. We spent the rest of the day showing our faces at breeders such as Marusaka and Kaneko to get a feel for what's coming up. Now it's time for a shower and a bite to eat with Jeffrey and Thibaut. The atmosphere in the car is great, but our stomachs are really rumbling by now.

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