From the mountain valleys around Nagaoka, Niigata—the historic heartland of Nishikigoi—come some of the most respected koi breeders in the world. This is where we begin every season. We don’t buy from catalog photos or third-party lots; we go straight to the source and build relationships at the farms themselves.

Our partners include renowned breeders such as Matsuda, Marusei, and Maruhiro. Several times a year, we travel to Japan and spend weeks on-site walking the ponds, watching growth, and talking directly with the breeders about bloodlines and development. Each koi is hand-selected by us—evaluating body, skin quality, color, pattern, and temperament—so the fish you see has been chosen with care and intention, not by chance.

That hands-on approach continues after selection. We coordinate export with the farms, confirm health checks, and manage the journey home so your koi arrives in top condition. When you purchase from us, you can be confident you’re getting authentic, high-quality, verifiable koi from Japan—fish with clear farm provenance and the kind of quality control that only comes from personal selection.

If you’re searching for something special—a size, variety, pattern, or budget target—tell us what you have in mind. We can create a custom buying list and preview options with the breeders on our next trip. [Contact us] and we’ll get your custom koi selection set up for our upcoming voyage to Japan.