Yesterday I had the day off so in the morning I walked to the local super center cause I needed to buy new tooth paste. I was hoping the tube I brought with me was going to last me my whole stay, cause the Japanese tooth paste is weird. Luckily they had an American brand of tooth paste so I thought I was safe. It wasn't until the next morning when I tried it that I realized that they must change the recipe for different countries, cause it is the same as wierd Japanese tooth paste. After lunch I went to Nagaoka again, this time a different area and just wasted time as usual. Its always fun people watching here in Japan thought, they have some really weird fashions.

This morning Takuya and I checked on Muikaichi, and then went to Nigoro to do filter maintenance. While the others went to Sanbusho to do the same. Next we met Marudo and Ohira. Ohira is the place name where Marudo's first ever koi house is, I was calling it Nigoro Yama before, but now I know its real name. So at Ohira we finished filling the gas tank that supplies the heaters all the way. We also ran another pipe line off of the natural spring to the koi house. After lunch Toshi, Takuya and I started building a temporary garage for the winter at Sanbyono. While Marudo and Yoshie helped customers at Muikaichi; and Shinji and Kasumi put auto-feeders on the tosai tanks at Sanbusho. When Shinji and Kasumi finished at Sanbusho they came back to Sanbyono for a little while. Then Shinji and I went back to Sanbusho to lock up for the night, then back to Muikaichi to lock up for the night. The past couple of days Marudo has been joking about eating a shiro muji for dinner. Atleast I thought he was joking until I came home tonight and saw him cutting up two white koi. One of the fish even had a little hi (red) on it.

Yesterday Toshi and I measured and took some pictures of some Kohakus in the morning. The pics were for One of Toshi's clients and also one of mine. Next everybody went to Sanbusho, Toshi and I photographed and measured another Kohaku, while everybody else did the usual daily maintenance. After that we all worked on putting up more poly insulation until lunch time. After we went back to Sanbusho and cleaned the garage up a little, then we went to Nigoro and put up poly insulation there. We worked the rest of the night at Nigoro and then went to Sanbusho and Muikaichi to lock up for the night.

This morning we went to Sanbusho to load some tosai that a japanese dealer bought into his truck. After breakfast we went to Muikaichi to catch fish that are being shipped out tonight and moved them to the prep tanks. Then we went back to Sanbusho to put up the last of the poly insulation and clean the rest of the auto-feeders before we put them away for the winter. We also worked a little more on cleaning the garage at Sanbusho. After lunch Shinji and I went to Nigoro Yama to fill the gas tank that supplies the heater when we finished with that Marudo and I went to Muikaichi. At Muikaichi we helped some customers. When the customers left Takuya and I made up boxes and prepared for shipping fish out tonight. Takuya stayed late tonight to help Toshi, Yoshie and I pack fish because Marudo went to a Shinkokai party tonight. We packed two seperate shipments tonight, so when the fish were boxed up Toshi brought half of them to the Dainichi, the customers shipping consolidator. And Yoshie and I brought the other half to Oomo, the other customers shipping consolidator.

Yesterday morning we packed more fish for shipping, then we went to Sanbusho to do the usual daily maintenance. Then at Sanbusho we moved some oyagoi and tategoi around to make room for the fish from the last pond we are pulling for the year. After lunch we spread out the class 5 that was dropped off the day before at Muikaichi. Then we headed to the Shiro Utsuri pond to pull it. There was around 140 fish, and we brought them to the tank that we cleared out earlier at Sanbusho. After that we locked up for the night at Sanbusho and Muikaichi.

This morning again we went to Sanbusho to the the daily maintenance. Then we seined on of the tosai ponds so that we could grade the fish. Also one of the heaters broke at Sanbusho so we worked on replacing it too. After lunch we brought the big truck to Sanbusho to clean it because we are done using it for the year. We also cleaned up the transport tanks cause all of the mud ponds are pulled so we don't need to use them anymore. We also cleaned a couple auto-feeders and put a bunch of auto-feeders and their batteries away in a storage container for the winter. Then we locked up for the night at both Sanbusho and Muikaichi.

Yesterday I had the day off so in the morning I went for a walk. I walked up the mountain near Marudo's house where he has a bunch of mudponds at the top. After lunch I went with Marudo, Yoshie, and Takuya to pick up the rice Marudo bought for the year. He bought 15 bags and they weigh around 40 lbs. each so they asked me to help them load them in the cars. After that I went to Nagaoka and bummed around until dark. Then after dinner I helped pack fish for shipping.

This morning we went to Sanbusho to do filter maintenance and feed the tosai. After that we went to Nigoro Yama to continue fixing the place up. I worked on building a door while Takuya and Shinji plumbed in a heater. After lunch a professional photographer came to take pictures of a fish. So Takuya and I help the photographer, while Shinji and Marudo went back to Nigoro Yama to continue working. After the photographer left, Takuya and I caught fish that are being shipped out tomorrow and moved them to the prep tanks. Then we waited for a dump truck with 4 tons of class 5 to show up at Muikaichi. Tomorrow we are going to spread the class 5 out around the back corner of the koi house where the ground isn't paved. Then Takuya and I gathered up some plumbing supplies and headed to Nigoro Yama to help Shinji and Marudo. We helped for a little while at Nigoro Yama then we took off to Sanbusho to do filter maintenance, feed the fish and lock up for the night. Next we went to Muikaichi to make boxes and prepare for shipping fish out tomorrow morning.

Yesterday we got up early to pack fish for shipping out. After that Marudo and I cleaned up around Muikaichi and Sanbyono. Then we went to Sanbusho to put up more poly insulation in the tosai houses. Mean while Shinji and Takuya went to Horinochi to pull another Male oyagoi pond. After lunch Marudo and I went to Nigoro to finish building the snow shelter in front of the koi house. Then Takuya and Shinji showed up with the Oyagoi, so I went with them to unload the fish at Nigoro Yama while Marudo helped some customers at Nigoro. After the fish we unloaded we went to the garage at Nigoro to rearange so stuff and put stuff away for the winter. We also got a new roll of poly insulation out of the garage. So next we went to Sanbusho to put up more insulation around the tosai tanks. Then we did filter maintenace and fed the fish and went home for the night. Also tonight Toshihiro and Kasumi got home from Hiroshima, they went there for the koi show and to do some sight seeing with their kids.

This morning we packed fish again, but we didn't have to get up early to do it. Next Yoshie and I cleaned and reset up the shipping prep tanks and caught the fish that are being shipped out tomorrow and moved them to the prep tanks. After that Marudo and Shinji went to Nigoro, while Kasumi, Yoshie and I went to Sanbusho to do filter maintenace and feed the tosai. Next we gathered up tools and supplies and went to Nigoro to help Marudo and Shinji work on the old house that was destroyed in the earthquake. The majority of the house was taken down, only 1/3 of the house was stable enough to leave standing. And there is also and under ground storage area the is still intact. The old house used to sit on top of the storage area. So we spent the rest of the day replacing and reenforcing the "roof" of the storage are. The roof is actually the first floor of the old house. After it was stablized we needed to water proof it, Marudo had a custom vinyl sheet made to cover the "roof" a week earlier. So we put the sheet over the "roof" and fastened it down so the wind won't blow it off. After that Marudo and I went to Muikaichi to lock up for the night.

Yesterday morning Shinji and I went to Sanbusho to do filter maintenance and feed the tosai. Then we headed up Nigoro mountain to one of the male oyagoi ponds. I think there was 15 fish in the pond, we brought them all to Sanbusho, and put them in the oyagoi house. Seperate from the females. After lunch we headed to another male oyagoi pond. Again we brought them all to Sanbusho and put them in a seperate tank from the females. I think there was 16 in that pond. Next we cleaned up for the winter at Sanbyono. After that we caught fish that are being shipped out tomorrow & tonight and put them in the shipping prep tanks. After we packed up fish for shipping out, Takuya stayed late and helped us since Toshihiro is in Hiroshima at a koi show.

This morning we got up early to pack up fish that are being shipped out. After breakfast I cleaned and reset up the shipping prep tanks. Then some customers showed up so Marudo and I helped them. When the customers left we caught all of the fish that are being shipped out tomorrow and moved them to the prep tanks. After lunch we pulled the 2 mudponds that are in front of Marudo's house in Sanbyono. We moved all of the fish to Nigoro Yama, and also put some supplies away for the winter at the garage in Nigoro. Next we went to Sanbusho and Muikaichi to lock up for the night.

Yesterday morning we set up the shipping prep tanks, and caught all of the fish that we are shipping out tomorrow and put them in the tanks. Then we went to Sanbusho to put up poly insulation in the tosai houses to help retain heat in the winter. After that we started moving all of the small nisai to the Nigoro Yama koi house, electricity was restored there that morning. We got all of the fish moved except for 1 of the 4 tanks. Next we helped some customers at Muikaichi and then locked up for the night.

This morning we got up earily to pack fish for shipping out. After that we went back to Sanbusho to move the final small nisai tank to Nigoro Yama. But before we moved all the fish, Marudo picked some tategoi out of the bunch. All of the tategoi were shiro utsuri. We moved all of the small nisai out to make room for the oyagoi. So next we went to 2 oyagoi ponds, one of the ponds had 15 fish, and the other I think 13 fish. All the fish were female oyagoi (oyagoi means parent fish). After we caught them all we brought them to Sanbusho, then we locked up for the night.

Yesterday Shinji and I spent the day up on Nigoro mountain draining mud ponds and rolling up the netting that goes around the ponds (that keeps birds and racoons out). We also took apart the stands that the auto-feeders sit on. I think we drained 6 ponds, all of them were tosai ponds, that have already been pulled.

This morning Shinji and I fixed a small window for the Nigoro yama koi house. Then we went back up the mountain to check on the ponds we started draining yesterday. After lunch we went to Nigoro to rebuild the snow shelter in front of the garage. After that we were finished for the day.

Yesterday I had the day off, so in the morning I went to Ojiya city and bummed around. In the afternoon I went to Nagaoka and did the same.

This morning we packed fish for shipping out. We spent the afternoon working at Nigoro Yama (Marudo's first ever koi house) fixing earthquake damage. Takuya, Toshiro and Kasumi worked on replacing the roof while Shinji and I fixed windows. Later in the evening Marudo and I went to Muikaichi to help customers and lock up for the night.

2 days ago we finished pulling all of the Kawarigoi at the huge pond in Yoshikawa (about 1 and a half hours away from Marudo's house). I am not sure but I think there was a total of around 400 fish in the pond. It took us the whole day to pull the pond becuase it was so large.

Yesterday we went to Marudo's first ever koi house. It is kind of near his old house in Nigoro. They finally started to build a road to it, the old road was destroyed in the earthquake. Also in the earthquake the koi house lost power, so all of the fish there died. There was still water left in 2 of the 4 tanks, and in one of the tanks there was fish bones and scales/skin floating in the water. That was a sad sight. So we started clean the place up yesterday, if the electricty gets hooked back up again I think we are going to use the koi house next year. Also yesterday night I went to a kimono party in Ojiya with some friends. After the party we went out to karaoke, that was a lot of fun.

This morning Marudo and I helped customers at Muikaichi. Afterwards we went to his first koi house near Nigoro to continue cleaning. After lunch Marudo and I built a snow shelter in front of the doors at Nigoro, while Takuya, Shinji, and Toshihiro worked on cleaning the koi house near Nigoro.

2 days ago we drove a little over an hour and a half to a huge mudpond that has Chagoi, Kigoi and other Kawarigoi in it. But it was so windy that we couldn't really do anything, we only got 12 fish out of the pond. So we returned home to work on cleaning out what is left of the old house at Nigoro. We brought all of the aluminum and glass to the recycle center.

Yesterday morning Takuya and I brought all of the auto feeders to Horinochi to store there for the winter. But we got a call from Marudo to head to the mud pond that we went to yesterday to catch some of the fish out. We caught around 170 fish and brought them all to Nigoro. After that we packed a couple of boxes of fish for shipping out and then we were finished for the day.

This morning Takuya, Shinji and I went back to Horinochi to finish where we left off yesterday. After that we went to Nigoro to build a snow barrier in front of the garage doors and cleaned up the garage. Then we finished cleaning out the house, we burned most of the stuff, and brought what we could to the recycle center.

Tomorrow we are going to finish catching what is left at the huge mud pond. We rented another truck so we have more tanks to haul fish in. Also some of Marudo's friends are going to help us pull the pond.

Yesterday the whole staff had the day off except for Marudo and I. In the morning we checked all of the koi houses to cleaned the filters and feed the fish. In the afternoon we helped a couple customers, but it is starting to slow down now.

Today I had the day off so I made pizza for dinner for everybody. After dinner Keiko took me to Nagaoka to play darts and foosball.

The past couple of days we have been working on draining tosai ponds that have already been pulled and catching any fish we missed while seining the ponds. We have also been working on taking down the nets that keep birds and other animals from getting into the ponds. And in the mornings and sometimes at night we are packing fish for shipping out. Also Marudo went to Yamagata today to judge a koi show.

I just got back to Nagaoka, I took a 6 day vaction and visited some friends in Yamagata. That was a lot of fun. Tomorrow morning I start working again.