Promotion Association Membership is a Mark of Trust

To allow customers to buy with confidence

― You can sell koi without being a member of the promotion association, so why did you decide to join?
Torii : I thought it would be better to be a member from the perspective of both buying and selling. For example, Mr. Konishi generally only wholesales to association members, but he made an exception for me because I’m a former employee. Also, some other breeders also make it difficult to buy from them if you’re not a member.
― If you want to buy koi from various breeders, membership is an essential condition.
Torii : Another thing is that my name is listed in the member directory of “Monthly Nishikigoi,” which gives me credibility when selling on sites like Yahoo Auctions. A customer once asked me, “Are you a member of the promotion association?” I wasn’t at the time, and when I asked why they asked, they said, “People who are members of the promotion association or the ZNA are reliable.” I thought it was important to join an organization to gain customer trust. I want to be in this business for the long term, so I thought it was better to join sooner rather than later.
― Do you plan to participate in koi shows hosted by the Promotion Association?
Torii : I believe I should participate actively to promote myself, but it’s all about the customers, so I’ll see how it goes. But I can’t take my time because I’m getting old (laughs).
I really need to make this business more successful than my old job. I know it’s not an easy world, so I can’t just sell casually. I’m constantly racking my brain to find a better way.
― You also use SNS for Torii Nishikigoi, right?
Torii : I use Instagram under the name “The Koi Shop with No Sign,” posting about koi I’ve sourced. I also list on Yahoo Auctions irregularly, so please take a look.
― You currently have a 5-ton pond and several other ponds; are you planning to gradually expand facilities in the future?
Torii : The tap water around here uses underground water from Mt. Fuji, which tends to bring out sumi, making it well-suited for sumi like Showa. However, it’s difficult to expand further at this location. Since I want to get into production in the future, I’m considering setting up a house, a small greenhouse, and fry ponds in another location.
― We look forward to your future success as a member of the association. Thank you very much for your time today.

Rows of 500- to 700-liter ponds for raising small koi.