Following the award ceremony, the event shifted to a social gathering in the same venue. Guests included Mayor Yoshihiro Okada of Mihara City, Makoto Kikawa, Chairman of the Mihara Cultural Arts Foundation, and Takamasa Morimitsu, Chairman of the Mihara Chamber of Commerce and Industry. The space was filled with award winners, dealers, and bleeders, sparking lively conversations about koi. Although the event officially concluded at 9 PM, many attendees headed out into the streets of Mihara to continue enjoying the night.
On the 24th, the “Second Round” of the award ceremony began at 10 AM. The overall champions of each category were honoured, with the event’s overall champion closing the ceremony. Yuan Jiandong, the winner, commented, “I didn’t expect to win since it’s an 82-bu koi, so I’m astonished. It’s an honour to be the first champion of this event.” He also thanked the breeders, dealers, and WNC board members who helped organize the event.
Regarding the 1,246 koi exhibited at this event, WNC Chairman Kentaro Sakai said, “I was expecting around 1,000 koi, so this was beyond our expectations.”

“Thanks to the efforts of the board members during the short preparation period, we successfully held the event. Most of what we wanted to do was accomplished, but next year, I plan to expand the viewing area by adding a wooden deck to the prize pool area to make the space larger.
WNC has brought a fresh breeze to the koi industry. With many members who form the industry’s leading group, future developments are something to look forward to.