I have been fortunate enough to know the Miya family for the last 10 years and this year through their koi exporting division Japan Koi Export supply and offer trips to Japan with them.

So what makes a true family koi dynasty and how did the Miya family start?

Mr. Tokuzo Miya is the head (President) of Miyaishi Koi Farm and Miyaishi Wholesale Company, now aged 72 he has been instrumental in building a true koi dynasty over the last 49 years.

The more I found out about Tokuzo the more I have realized what an important role he has played, in the koi industry, not just for his own company but also for the whole koi industry around the world.

Tokuzo Miya was born in 1935, the eldest son of a family of six. His father’s business included a meat business (butcher), a Japanese style restaurant and an animal farm. They lived in Ojiya City. His father started collecting koi as a hobby around 1943 from the local farmers around the area. This hobby developed and in 1953 the whole Miya family moved the short distance out side Ojiya City and located at their present position on the main drive to Yamakoshi. Anyone who has been here will have passed this impressive facility and magnificent house.

During this time the Miya family slowly became well known for having high quality koi, these rumors spread and more and more people were inquiring about Miya’s fish. Tokuzo quickly pointed out though that they where not breeding koi at this time only that his father was very good at collecting quality koi. It was only natural that Tokuzo grew up around his father’s hobby. So much so that when he was 20 years old he left for Tokyo to work in a company that sold goldfish, koi and aquarium fish. It was here for the next five years that he learnt his trade and at the age of 25 he returned to his family home.

In 1960 the Miya family started breeding koi. They breed all varieties at that time and concentrated on standard quality. Tokuzo states that the real "boom time" for koi started around the mid sixties and continued into the late 70's. Sadly in 1964 Tokuzo’s father passed away and at the age of 32 being the eldest son, took over the responsibility as head of the family. He took the bold step of closing the other family business’s down and concentrated purely on breeding koi. His younger brother Hitoshi now 56 also came into the business and together they were to start on creating a koi dynasty.

In 1967 they started Miyaishi Yorijo (Koi Farm Company) and one year later FA Miyaishi Wholesale Company. The wholesale company concentrated on selling all aquatic dry goods including koi and Coldwater, tropical and marine products to breeders and aquarium shops throughout Japan. From learning this trade while in Tokyo he has created a huge company now celebrating 37 years in business this year, and is headed by his brother Hitoshi.. Every year they hold a trade show at their impressive facility and this year saw over 30 manufactures turn up to set up stands for the 100's of dealers and aquarium shop owners who visited over the two day show. Twelve years ago saw them develop their own koi food and they now sell 100's of tons to other breeders and koi shops.

Back in the 1960's though many koi breeders where in the Niigata area and in the rest of Japan, all of them claiming that they had the best koi. It was Tokuzo that realized that an organization was needed for all the koi breeders, and with then Miyakoya they went about creating Shinkokai. The idea was to bring as many koi breeders together under one roof, then arrange competitions. By this people could see who had the best koi and a healthy competition between breeders kept pushing the quality of koi up and up. Today Shinkokai is world known and the All Japan Koi Show held every year for hobbyists in Tokyo, is the number one show in the world. Throughout the years Miyaishi koi have won many prices at the All Japan show climaxing in supplying to a hobbyist a Kohaku which won Grand Champion in 1983.

Also the Nogiyosai Shows were held in October and the spring around Japan, these shows were for breeders only and much prestige went with winning these shows.

Tokuzo won Grand Champion in 1967 with a Kohaku and amazingly 30 years later his brother’s fish won Grand Champion in 1997, not only does this show the level commitment to their business but is the only time two brothers have individually one this award.

Now many of us visit the Miya koi facility but the first foreigners to go to their facility was back in 1975, this was also the first time they started exporting koi. It was also the year that Tokuzo was invited to go to the USA by the Southern California Koi Club to judge at their koi show, he made 4 further visits to the USA after this, also supplying koi and raising the level of quality in America.

In 1982 saw a new development for the Miyaishi Koi Farm. Back in the 1950's when they moved to their present home, never could his father of foreseen that the Japanese Railway would build the "Shinkansan" line or "Bullet Train" right through the mountains and out through their home and back into the mountain side. This amazing feat of engineering meant that the Miya family house was to be destroyed, but a new house was to be built 100 yards away. This magnificent new home and gardens is a must see for anyone visiting. Also at the same time as the house was built new and impressive koi houses and ponds where built, making them one of the most impressive facility’s in all Japan.

In the mid 1980's when people in Israel started to look at breeding koi they came to Miyaishi Koi Farm to buy brood stock, such was his reputation for quality koi. And in 1992 on a State visit to Japan the then Prime Minister of Malaysia made a special visit to Tokuzo at his farm to see his fish such was his reputation. In fact I have spoken too many of the top hobbyist’s in Japan and they state that no koi collection is complete with out koi from Miyaishi in their ponds. I also have brought many koi from their farm and many of my customers who I bring to Niigata have brought high quality koi for their collections. In my view they have the best overall quality and varieties under one roof for people to see.

But it is koi that is still Tokuzo life after all these years; he is still actively involved in the day to day running of the koi farm. His favorite variety is Sanke and when I asked him what he hoped for the future with koi, he replied “that I hope koi last for ever." A profound statement if ever I had heard one. Both he and his brother Hitoshi feel that quality can always be improved. Health is high on their list and they feel that all breeders must actively work towards keeping a good control on health issues.

Before the earthquake they had over 60 mud ponds and were building more obviously since the quake they lost about 25 ponds but have already started to rebuild this year. It may take several years to totally get back to the numbers of ponds they had but they are determined to do it. This year will again be very busy; they are producing around 100,000 tosai for next spring.

The future looks good for the Miya family, obviously they have been extremely successful in the past and now Tokuzo eldest son Kentaroh 33 is slowly taking control of the family business. Although they all work together, Tokuzo, Hitoshi and Kentaroh have their own fish and if you own the 2003 Hikari koi calendar take a look at March/April picture of a magnificent Sanke, this was bred and reared by Kentaroh so the future looks very good indeed. Kentaroh got married 3 years ago, and 2 years ago, Kentaroh and his wife Kaiko had a baby boy named Teruya. So the dynasty continues and you will nearly always find Grandfather and Grandson together walking around the koi. Not only are they a true koi dynasty but they are truly nice people, may they continue to produce koi for generations and that in Tokuzo Miya’s words, "May koi last forever."