Page 36 - Koi Net - On-Line Koi Magazine - Issue 11

TIM WADDINGTON

VISITS NIIGATA

OCTOBER 2018

Tim Waddington of Quality Nishikigoi gives
his account of his latest buying trip to
Niigata in October.

Well a few days after returning from the third trip to
Japan of the year, I have finally found some time to
record the latest trip.

2019 will be our 10th year since Quality Nishikigoi started.
We began trading in a polytunnel and have now grown
to a massive 5,000 square feet facility in Warrington.
When we started, we visited Japan once a year, now we
visit at least 3 times a year, sometimes more. We have
been slowly building our business over this time, never
rushing, just allowing it to develop.
Tim Waddington has been
in the Koi industry for over On each trip to Japan we have been buying better and
25 years. Visiting Japan for better Koi for our clients. Now much of our business is
the first time in 1992 and done while in Japan, where we source special Koi for
has since made the trip
over 60 times. clients who have specific requirements. This year has
just exploded.
Tim has judged in many
Koi Shows in Japan and has Although we source many high grade Koi, 95% of our
supplied Grand Champions
all over the world. clients who come into our shop just want nice Koi to
enjoy in their ponds, not show winners or special
bloodlines or anything like that, they just want to come
home from work, open a bottle and sit and enjoy their
Koi. They want a range of varieties they have seen in
books and online, but it’s just enjoyment only. That’s
what we sell the most of, and most of the other dealers
do too.
Some of these clients then get the VERY dangerous Koi
bug and want to go further in the hobby requiring higher
grade Koi. These are what we try and find while we are
in Japan. But we still also need the Koi for the shop for
the majority of our clients.
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