Page 54 - Koi Net - On-Line Koi Magazine - Issue 68
P. 54
THE START OF THE FIRST KOI MASTERCLASS By the end of 2000 I was living in Mushigame full time
IN 2000 and I then started Japan Koi Export (JKX), my close
friend René Villela joined me. He was working at the
It was while judging at the 2000 All Japan Koi Show well-known Miyaishi Wholesale company which is part
that I started thinking about what would become Koi WE WERE of Miyaishi Koi Farm, supplying breeders with koi-related
Masterclass. It became clear to me that many of my goods, so he was the perfect choice to help me. Over
customers at that time were coming to me in Ojiya, year SUPPLYING the next few years we were supplying customers with
after year, and although they were going around to see CUSTOMERS koi all around the world. I was helping breeders build
and buy koi I felt that I could offer a different kind of new mud ponds and koi houses. I held English classes
trip, so Koi Masterclass was born. It was a trip that WITH KOI ALL for the breeders in Ojiya so they could hopefully speak
consisted of lessons held by breeders at their farm AROUND THE some basic English to customers.
talking about koi appreciation and then the chance to
buy koi after these classes. It proved so popular that we WORLD As JKX we moved into a large new house near the Ojiya
started to run two trips, one in the spring and one in the railway station on the road to Uragawa with holding
autumn. After the success of the first Koi Masterclass in ponds and a mud pond and became well known for
Tanaka san of Maruju Koi Niigata I held the first UK Masterclass near London. holding large banquets with the breeders and
Farm, a long standing friend Tanaka san (Maruju Koi Farm), Sakai san (Yamamatsu customers. I even held a KHV seminar for the breeders
of mine, and one of the many Koi Farm), Kazuto san (Ikarashi Koi Farm) and Yagenji several years before KHV had come to Japan.
breeders you will meet on
the Koi Masterclass Tour. san (Yagenji Koi Farm) attended and gave speeches.
Things changed on the evening of the 23rd October
2004 when the Chuetsu earthquake struck Ojiya and
the surrounding koi area. Regrettably people lost their
lives, hundreds of thousands of koi died and over 90%
of mud ponds were destroyed or damaged. Our house
was destroyed inside and for over 6 weeks we lived
outside in a car. Over the next few months myself and
René helped supply food and equipment to breeders in
the area. I took part in rescuing koi from mud ponds by
helicopter. Of course, Masterclass was put on hold for
several years while the whole area was rebuilt.
FROM 2016 As JKX we continue to sell and export koi, but I am
always thinking of how to promote Niigata koi more, so
WE START sixteen years after holding the first UK Koi Masterclass
FILMING DAILY I held the second one in 2016 here in Suffolk. The
breeders, Kaneko san, Sakai san and Miya san from
LIFE WITH THE Miyatora Koi Farm came over to talk about their farms,
BREEDERS also Peter Waddington and others talked at the two day
conference. From 2016 in Niigata we start filming daily
life with the breeders, this would give me the idea to
start KoiVision TV which after three years of filming I
launched in 2019. Also in 2017, I brought Masato Koda
over to The All England Koi Show to judge and be on
our stand that year.
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