Maruchiku Koi Farm in Fukuoka donates 150 Koi
Nursery children release them into the pond at Ishibashi Cultural Centre
On Tuesday, 17 June, Maruchiku Koi Farm in Kurume City, Fukuoka Prefecture, donated 150 Nishikigoi to the “Rakusui Pond” at the Ishibashi Cultural Centre. A release ceremony was held, with 25 children from Shohaku Nursery School participating.
The Nishikigoi released that day varied in size and included Gosanke varieties, Shiro Utsuri, and Yamabuki Ogon. Using buckets, the children released the koi one by one into the pond. They were especially fascinated by a Yamabuki Ogon over 85 cm long, observing it closely with great curiosity.
Shojiro Ishibashi, the founder of Bridgestone Corporation, established the Ishibashi Cultural Centre. Shojiro, who was a senior in high school, commented to Eiji Konishi, the second-generation head of Maruchiku Fish Farm, “It is truly an honour and a joy to see Nishikigoi raised by Maruchiku swimming in this Japanese garden, which he created 50 years ago.”
The release ceremony attracted considerable attention, including coverage by the local television station. The children happily expressed their hopes that the koi would grow big, saying, “We want to come with our whole family to feed them on our days off.”

