- Founded
- 1968
Nogami Koi Farm makes Kohaku and Showa and almost nothing else, and the Kohaku are the reason to buy. Hisato Nogami trained for fifteen years at Dainichi under Minoru Mano before taking over the family farm in Muikaichi, Nagaoka, in 1994, and the Dainichi eye for beni and skin shows in his fish.
The family tie is real. Hisato's father married Minoru Mano's elder sister, and the Nogamis, rice farmers at the time, started keeping a few koi after hearing about them at family gatherings. Hisayuki Nogami founded the farm in 1968. The 2004 Chuetsu earthquake cost the farm several parent fish, and Hisato responded by cutting back to the two varieties he does best; the farm today lists Kohaku, Showa and Ginrin Kohaku.
The results back him up. A Nogami Kohaku named Takara took Grand Champion at the 48th Niigata Prefectural Nishikigoi Show in 2008. Another, Yondan, won Grand Champion at the 41st All Japan Rinyukai Show in 2010, the Jumbo division at the 42nd All Japan Nishikigoi Show in 2011, and Grand Champion at the 4th Asia Cup the same year. Hisato says he would rather be told a fish is beautiful than big; the farm grows them big anyway.
Expect Kohaku with soft, even beni and clean white rather than loud pattern. ChampKoi imports koi from Nogami. If you collect Kohaku, put this farm on your list.
History
- 1968 Hisayuki Nogami, a farmer related by marriage to Minoru Mano of Dainichi, founds the farm in Muikaichi, Nagaoka.
- 1979 Hisato Nogami finishes high school and starts training at Dainichi Koi Farm.
- 1994 Hisato takes over Nogami Koi Farm after fifteen years at Dainichi.
- 2004 Chuetsu earthquake kills several parent fish; production narrowed to Kohaku and Showa.
- 2008 Kohaku 'Takara' wins Grand Champion, 48th Niigata Prefectural Nishikigoi Show.
- 2010 Kohaku 'Yondan' wins Grand Champion, 41st All Japan Rinyukai Show.
- 2011 'Yondan' wins the Jumbo division at the 42nd All Japan Nishikigoi Show and Grand Champion at the 4th Asia Cup.
Awards & Recognition
Niigata Prefectural Nishikigoi Show Grand Champion 2008 (48th show, Kohaku) and 2011 (51st show); All Japan Rinyukai Show Grand Champion 2010 (41st show, Kohaku); All Japan Nishikigoi Show Jumbo Koi Division Overall Champion 2011 (42nd show, Kohaku); Asia Cup Koi Show Grand Champion 2011 (4th show, Kohaku)
Want a Nogami koi we don't have listed?
Tell Tom the variety, size and budget. He buys at the farm in Japan at harvest and will look for one on the next trip.