40th All Japan Koi Show.

The 40th All Japan Koi Show took place over this weekend at the Ryutsu Center in Tokyo. As always plenty of beautiful Koi were on show, and the winner ended up being someone Koibito customers all know very well...

With hundreds of judging vats filled with many amazing koi from all over Japan, this year's All Japan did not disappoint! The overall winner was the 92 cm Showa featured in this news article's photo. Bred by one of the smaller breeders in Japan, Kimiho Shiraishi, owner of Yamatoya Koi Farm, Muikaichi City, Shimane Prefecture, and owned by Fujiki San of Saitama Prefecture, this is only the fourth Showa to ever become Grand Champion at the All Japan Show!

Those of you who saw photos of this fish after it was entered into the All Japan show 2008, will not be surprised by it's great showing this year. The naturally shy Shiraishi San was difficult to find, maybe something to do with the fact that he had a woolly hat pulled tightly over his head...(nice disguise!). He said that he was very happy with the result, but was afraid that many people would now be wanting lots of Showa from his Koi Farm...which Koibito customers who have come to Japan know he stocks few of nowadays.

I have tried to include as many interesting photos as possible with this brief news article, we hope those of you that couldn't make it will enjoy this small window into what is undoubtedly the most important event in the Koi world each year.

(Main Photo provided courtesy of Mark Gardner http://www.nigata-nishikigoi.com )