Nishikigoi are called "swimming jewels." It is said that 80% of Nishikigoi produced in Japan are shipped overseas. So the tracking staff headed to Thailand, where the number of Nishikigoi lovers is increasing. The Nishikigoi boom that is happening in Thailand. We tracked down this surprising phenomenon. ■ The number of Nishikigoi lovers is increasing due to "increasing income" and "weak yen" On this day, Nishikigoi were being shipped out before dawn at a koi farm in Kurume City, Fukuoka Prefecture. With the advancement of technology, it is now possible to transport Nishikigoi for about 30 hours by injecting oxygen into the bags containing the Nishikigoi. The shipping destination for this day is Thailand, about 5,000 kilometers away from Japan. Thousands of Nishikigoi are loaded onto a truck. Ogata Manabu, CEO of Ogata Koi Farm: "Then be careful on your way." As the sun rises, we head straight for Fukuoka Airport. The work is carried out carefully so as not to stimulate the Nishikigoi. So how are Japanese Nishikigoi kept? The tracking team headed to Thailand in pursuit of Nishikigoi. It's a two-hour drive from Bangkok. We arrived at Thailand's largest koi farm, which is about twice the size of the Tokyo Dome. There are more than 100,000 koi in 200 ponds. The cheapest ones cost several thousand yen each, and the larger ones cost hundreds of thousands of yen each. The koi shipped from the Kurume koi farm arrived safely and were swimming happily. All employees: "Sawadeekap (hello)." According to the company president, Nimit (51), the reason for the explosive sales of koi in Thailand is the "COVID-19 pandemic." Nimit, who runs a huge koi farm, says: "The number of Thai people raising koi has increased because people have been spending more time at home due to the COVID-19 pandemic." Until now, koi lovers were limited to the wealthy in Europe, America, and China, but in Southeast Asia, including Thailand, where the average income is rising year by year, the number of koi lovers has increased rapidly due to the recent "weak yen." Furthermore... Nimit: "Not only are Nishikigoi beautiful, but they have long been known in Thailand as a 'lucky fish.'" ■ "Nishikigoi are a lucky fish" - business performance has increased since people started keeping them So, we headed to the home of a Nishikigoi enthusiast who says he has become very successful thanks to Nishikigoi. His home is like a chalk palace. There are many luxury cars in the garage. And in his garden there is a huge pool that must be 25 meters long. Many magnificent Nishikigoi were swimming in it. The owner is Paisarn (55). He started keeping Nishikigoi 20 years ago. In his garden there are seven ponds built just for Nishikigoi. The water cooling systems apparently cost tens of millions of yen. Why is he so obsessed with Nishikigoi? Paisarn: "Nishikigoi are a 'lucky fish' for me." Paisarn runs a textile company in Thailand. He says that as soon as he started keeping Nishikigoi, his company's business performance improved. Paisarn: "It's true that Nishikigoi have improved the company's performance. That's why I believe in the power of Nishikigoi." ■ A boom among the younger generation The "Nishikigoi Circle" spreads on social media Furthermore, a change is currently taking place in Thailand. This is a Nishikigoi sale. With prices starting at just a few hundred yen per fish, many young people flock to the sale every time. Enthusiast: "The appeal of Nishikigoi is their body shape and patterns! They're so cute!" "It's now popular to dig a pond in your garden and keep Nishikigoi." This is the pond in this man's home. In fact, it's a boom among the younger generation. What kind of young people are keeping Nishikigoi? When I visited his home, I found a magnificent Nishikigoi in the pond in his garden. The owner is Dale (36), who runs an interior design company in Bangkok. Dale: "My favorite Nishikigoi variety is the 'Showa' variety. It has the perfect balance of white, red, and black! Nishikigoi are a work of Japanese art!" We asked him why Nishikigoi are becoming so popular among the younger generation in Thailand. Dale: "The internet and social media are a great way to connect with fellow Nishikigoi lovers. We exchange all kinds of information there." The "Nishikigoi circle" spreads through social media. Dale's love for Nishikigoi has grown to the point that he has won prizes in numerous contests with the Nishikigoi he has carefully raised. Later this month, Dale will be going to Japan for the first time in a long while. Of course, his purpose is to buy Nishikigoi. Dale: "My budget for this trip is about 1 million yen. I hope I can meet some beautiful Nishikigoi." ■A national star in Thailand! A koi farm was built in a prime location, and this time, our investigative team was able to meet a Thai superstar who truly loves Nishikigoi. Who is that person? Thai national star Willie (52): "Hello everyone watching TV Asahi Super J Channel! I'm Willie!" Willie is a regular on seven TV shows a week, from dramas and movies to comedy shows. He is a superstar known to everyone in Thailand. Willie says that it has been his childhood dream to raise Nishikigoi in his garden. Just five years ago, he built a Nishikigoi palace-like koi farm in a prime location in Bangkok. He sells Nishikigoi that he personally purchases. Willie: "When I'm tired or having a hard time at work, Nishikigoi soothe my soul. Without Nishikigoi, I might not be who I am today. They are that important to me." Willie is fascinated by Japanese culture and Nishikigoi. Before the COVID-19 pandemic, he would visit Japan almost every year, touring koi farms himself and purchasing Nishikigoi that he had personally selected. Willie: "I don't go to Japan to buy Nishikigoi, I go to steal 'works of art' from Nishikigoi craftsmen." Willie is particularly particular about... Willie: "The most important thing about Nishikigoi is the 'body'. The ideal is a plump, beautiful, streamlined shape like a 'rugby ball'!" And... Willy: "The next most important thing is the skin. For example, for this variety of Nishikigoi, the "Kohaku" variety, the whiteness like milk is important." By the way, this Nishikigoi is a variety called "Hitsurari." It is 94 cm long and sells for 450,000 baht in Thailand, which is about 1.8 million yen in Japanese yen. Willy: "They eat a lot of food, just like Japanese sumo wrestlers, so the cost of feeding them is a big problem!" In December last year, the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries added "Nishikigoi" to its list of priority export items. The company is aiming for exports of 9.7 billion yen in 2025. CEO Ogata: "Nishikigoi are a traditional part of Japanese culture. It's really a source of pride that they are recognized overseas and enjoyed by enthusiasts in each country." [TV Asahi News] https://news.tv-asahi.co.jp