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Posted by JR
on 1/26/2009, 1:26 pm, in reply to "Re: the koi hobby; post critical mass"
64.12.117.198
"The hobby is broader and bigger worldwide than ever before."
Only because you read the internet my friend! LOLs. If you traveled to see these things you would form a different opinion. I guarantee it. The hype is quite convincing, but actually talking to folks with boots on the ground or dealers in the bars and at their facilities, you get a more honest picture. Another sign fo course is to see magazines and businesses try and find markets in other countries despite the difficulties of shipping and mail expenses as this is another way to try and survive the lack of business in ‘home waters’.
Most of the overseas shows are dominated by dealers now. Mostly back yard types. This is not an emerging presence, just a sign of the times. On many of these boards, the posters are trades people. Nothing wrong with that mind you, but it does give a warped perspective. In Japan, the number of members of the amateur associations is down 75% from the Golden years of the Japanese hobby. The numbers in other countries continues to drop but more disturbing is the fact that the ratio of amateurs to small time dealers is shifted way to the dealer column. And any one in the hobby for over ten years can tell you that the All Japan Tokyo show, the BKKS National, The Great Taiwan shows, etc are shadows of what they once were. Sad but true.
I make no argument that the message of ponding is MUCH more visible here and around the world over the last five years. It is- without a doubt. But that is the ponding hobby with images of koi included to capture the imagination of the customer contemplating digging a hole in the yard. Eye candy for the consumer when you see a 85cm cm champion sanke photoshoped onto the 5 foot preformed plastic pond with water lilies illustrated in that ad. One major aquarium mail order house sells ‘ championship’ koi mail order in the spring only! You can tell they are ‘champions’ as those are the photos of high grade fish they do use! Unfortunately most of those fish come from Arkansas, I'm sure. That ad goes to tens of thousands of households every spring.
Maybe what you and I are tripping over is the fact there is a consumerism interest and there is a hobby interest. One runs deeper than the other and beyond the transaction. Get my point? If you build a 'hobby' on consumerism, it appears to be alive and healthy until you look behind the curtain. A hobby is an focus interest and as such has depth and is knowledge based. So if the marketing is good, sales numbers can increase at a time when the actually hobby is in decline.
Yes? JR
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