— What are your thoughts on the enlargement of the Goshiki?

Hirasawa: Honestly, customers don’t really want it. Even if I raise jumbo tosai to 50bu or 60bu, they want me to stop at the size of young koi.

Up to that size, there’s a chance in the overall division, but competing in the classes above adult koi becomes quite challenging. 

— Until about adult koi, beautiful male koi can compete, but once they reach 70-80 cm, the Gosanke have an advantage in body size. Few varieties maintain their beauty as they grow larger, so in that sense, achieving Sougyo in the overall division was a remarkable accomplishment.

Hirasawa: It’s best to focus on what customers are looking for.

— Following the Gosanke, every breeder is now producing Goshiki, so there’s a lot of competition, and it’s tough, right?

Hirasawa: There are too many. Moreover, many breeders are using our Goshiki as parents, so inevitably, they start to look alike. That’s why we have to compete with quantity. I produce good koi and distribute them to dealers. I’m grateful to have good relationships with various dealers.

— How do you plan to promote the characteristics of Kanno’s Goshiki in fierce competition?

Hirasawa: Anyway, quality is all we have. Plenty of good patterns can be made, so I think just having black and red won’t win in the end. Whether it’s Kohaku or Sanke, even Shiroutsuri, isn’t the shine of red and the sumi ultimately what matters?

— Good parents, especially males with good qualities, are vital for that purpose.

Hirasawa: I’m using them, but the odds aren’t favourable.

— It is the pattern that after Kanno’s Gosanke won awards at the Nougyousai and got awards in the All Japan Combined Nishikigoi Show.

Hiarasawa: I think so, almost like that.

— Does the Noukyousai serves as a promotional platform?

Hiarasawa: The Nougyousai and Nagaoka City. The 50-bu Kokugyo Award was in Nagaoka.

— Do you still exhibit quite selectively?

Hirasawa: Yes, that’s right. I intend to raise Koi to compete at the All Japan level. It’s not easy, but there’s an expectation from customers to win awards in such koi shows consistently. 

— You’ve consistently been awarded in the All Japan every time in recent years, haven’t you? This year’s young ones are especially performing exceptionally well.

Hirasawa: Although Narita told me it’s difficult to achieve this much, I’m grateful to dealers. But truth be told, I wanted to win not just with Goshiki but also with Kikusui. There was one good one, but unfortunately, it couldn’t win the Tsubaki Award.

— So, following Goshiki, would Kikusui be the next variety?

Hirasawa: It feels like it’s either Kikusui or Ochiba. It’s challenging, and it’s not easy to produce really good ones.

— I believe many people are still expecting Goshiki, but there are also promising ones developing for the next, which I am looking forward to.