Maruhiro Koi Farm is where you go in Ojiya when you want a koi that will get big. Hironori Hirasawa runs it with his wife. He is a son of Seitaro Hirasawa, who founded Marusei Koi Farm, so he grew up inside one of the largest operations in Niigata before setting up under his own name. ChampKoi imports koi from Maruhiro.
The farm's reputation is for breadth and size rather than one signature line. Hirasawa breeds Kohaku, Sanke and Showa, but the fish he is best known for are the single-colour and kawarimono types: Chagoi, Soragoi, Ochiba, Mukashi Ogon, Shusui and their Ginrin versions. Dealers who buy in Niigata describe the place the same way: more varieties than almost anyone, and full of fish, including large ones, at any time of year. The raising area runs to roughly 100,000 square metres.
Buy Maruhiro for growth and value. His Ginrin Chagoi and Ochiba are popular because they put on size and stay tame, and his Gosanke are honest pond fish priced below the big Ojiya names. We could not find a major show record for the farm, and that is not what you buy them for. If you want an All Japan contender, look at Isa or Torazo on our list; if you want the fish that dominates the pond on size and presence in a few years, Maruhiro is a good place to start.
