Ojiya/Tokyo/Isawa/Hiroshima Bound PSKoi Winter 2023

[Russell Peters]

I leave tomorrow for a Tosai buying trip to Ojiya, Isawa and Hiroshima. I am excited to announce that The All Japan Koi Show is back and I will be going. I will post pictures of the Major winners, as I did in the past, as well as my favorites. Please join me for a fun trip.

[jimfish98]

Bring on the tosai.

[Russell Peters]

It has been an interesting start to this trip. It started at the airport in Chicago where an airline employee told me I had to be vaccinated to go to Japan. I told her that Japan has never required you to be vaccinated and that all I needed was the blue screen on the Travel Japan App which I then showed her. I mentioned that you can not get a blue screen unless you have met all the requirements to get in and once you have the blue screen that is your ticket in. Her response was that Japan is constantly changing their requirements and I have to be vaccinated. Again I said no, they give you a choice, vaccination or a Covid test three days before you leave. I also mentioned the blue screen again as I was showing it to her. It actually says on the screen that you show this when you board the aircraft and when you land. At this point she brings in her supervisor and, as they are discussing that same things, I keep telling them they are wrong. He tells me to be quiet while they figure out what is correct and then eventually come to the conclusion that I have to be vaccinated or have the negative Covid test result. They explained that this is what they were telling me from the start, which they weren't, and that I was telling them that I didn't need to be vaccinated or have the test result. I let it go because you can't argue with stupid.

[Russell Peters]

The plane ended up departing 2-1/2 hours late, which didn't seem like a big problem, as my first night in Japan would be at a hotel 10 minutes from the airport. Staying at a hotel close to the airport was a good choice but getting through the airport was tough. During the wort of Covid it would take and hour or two to get through everything as you had to be tested upon arrival. As time went on it got easier and easier and, in October, it took 15 minutes to go through everything and get out of customs and immigration. With the blue screen and QR codes to get through immigration and customs I thought it was going to be just a quick. At first it seemed so as I showed my blue screen to an official he just waved me through what I was hoping was the final barrier. It wasn't.
Now that Japan is open to every one they opened up immigration check points like they had before Covid. Like any airport there were too many people and not enough agents. 54 immigration Kiosks and only 11 agents. The line was huge. After a little over and hour they decided to shut down half of the open kiosks. It was 2 hours to get through immigration and I got to the hotel at 2am. I had to get up at 6:30am as my first stop Tosai hunting was in Ojiya at noon.

[Russell Peters]

I did have to stop for coffee first. This is my favorite hotel in Tokyo as it has Starbucks in the lobby. I will be back here in a week as this is where I stay for the All Japan Koi Show

[Russell Peters]

I had to take a local train from the hotel to Tokyo station to get the Shinkansen to Nagaoka. You would never know Covid still existed. You may have heard stories about how packed trains can be and it has been years since I have seen it like this. I hit the station during the commute, which seems to be back in full force, and i skipped the first train as it was too full. The next train was there about a minute later and I got on along with just about every one else in Tokyo. It was packed and people just kept forcing their way on the train. The last few people actually didn't fit but wanted so much to be on the train that they put their backs to ours and, with all their might, began pushing against us so that the doors could close. It was nuts.
Things were not nearly as bad on the Shinkansen train to Nagaoka as you can buy a specific seat.

[Russell Peters]

I arrived a little early so I decided to go to a Koi shop I frequent to pick up supplies for my business. I needed some more sock nets and floating baskets for the new building.
This shop has an aquarium, not very big, that always has a few Koi in it. It has had these five Goshiki in it for almost a year. They are probably 5”. If you have ever argued about whether or not you can keep Koi in an aquarium here is your answer

[Russell Peters]

The next stop was Torazo Koi Farm for Tosai selection. This is the fun part.

[Russell Peters]

Every year, when I visit Torazo, I always ask about Sanke Tosai. The answer is always "we don't have any" which has never made sense to me as Torazo is known for his Sanke line. He does breed amazing Kohaku and Showa but I am always looking for his Sanke. He had a few interesting pieces this time. They are working on bringing Sanke back but it is not easy breeding Sanke.
The first Sanke is my favorite of the group. On the side opposite the Beni there is Sumi that should come in.

[Russell Peters]

Torazo Kohaku and Showa.