Size Queens — 2026 Omosako Shiro Utsuri Grow-Out Contest
Seven Shiro Utsuri built for jumbo. Body. Frame. Future heavyweight champions.
The Size Queens are the Omosako Nisai with the body conformation to grow big — broad shoulders, deep frame, the kind of structure that fills a 4-foot pond bowl by Sansai. These are the fish you buy when you're playing the long game and you want a koi that's still impressive five years from now.
You're buying into a group of 7 hand-selected Shiro Utsuri from Omosako Koi Farm in Kure, Hiroshima. After purchase, you'll be randomly assigned one of the 7 koi in this category. We do the assignment after sales close so nobody can cherry-pick — every buyer gets a fair shot at every fish in the group.
What you'll receive
- One Nisai (2-year-old) Shiro Utsuri, approximately 50–54 cm
- Free overnight shipping to your door via Southwest Cargo (continental US)
- Entry into the 2026 Omosako Grow-Out Contest — judged by the Omosako family themselves
- Eligibility for the Best of Size Queens prize — your choice of 15kg or 20kg JPD koi food (floating or sinking)
- Eligibility for Grand Champion — JPD food plus a JPD automatic feeder (retails over $1,000)
- A year of bragging rights, watching your fish develop, and being part of a tight community of growers
What you'll do
This isn't just a koi purchase. It's a year-long project.
- Receive your koi in late June 2026 and acclimate to your pond
- Grow it out — feed it, watch it develop, photograph the journey
- Submit final photos & a short video by July 24, 2027
- Find out if you won — Omosako family judging, winners announced August 6, 2027
What makes a Size Queen
Frame potential is set early. By Nisai, a Shiro Utsuri's body proportions, shoulder width, and bone structure are already telling you whether it has the architecture to grow into a jumbo. The Size Queens are the koi in this contest with the structural cues judges look for: deep across the shoulders, wide through the middle, with the kind of presence that fills a show tank.
Body comes first. A Size Queen with great sumi but a slender frame will never compete with a Size Queen carrying real mass. Feed for development, manage your water for growth, and you're betting on a koi that gets more impressive every year of its life.
Why Omosako
Omosako Koi Farm has been producing premium Shiro Utsuri since 1949 — three generations of breeders refining a single signature variety. Shawn (Mystic Koi & Water Gardens) has personally selected these fish from Omosako's Kure ponds. The lineage is documented and the relationship is decades deep.
Shipping & arrival
- Free overnight Southwest Cargo shipping, continental US
- We coordinate the delivery date with you after sales close (week of June 27, 2026)
- IATA-certified live animal packing
- Live arrival guarantee — see FAQ below for full terms
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Need help?
Frequently Asked Questions
Order
After sales close on June 26, 2026, we randomly assign one of the 8 koi from this category to each buyer. The assignment is recorded, photographed, and emailed to you before shipping. No cherry-picking — every buyer has equal odds at every fish.
Yes. If your koi arrives dead, contact us within several hours with photos and we'll refund or replace at our discretion. After acclimation, the fish is your responsibility.
Absolutely. We're at 1250 W Arrow Hwy in Upland, CA — open Tuesday through Sunday. Call ahead and we'll have your koi assignment ready to view. as well as in store pick up!
Yes — the fish is yours forever, contest or no contest. Many growers continue showing their contest koi at later events.
The Omosako family reviews every submitted photo set and video. They judge based on body conformation, sumi development, hi quality (for Tancho), skin quality, and overall presence. Their decision is final.
Yes, to the continental US. Hawaii, Alaska, and international buyers, please contact us before purchasing for a shipping quote.
Yes — but each koi is a separate contest entry. You can buy up to all 8 if you want them all (and want to compete against yourself).