Registered Neofinetia Varieties in Japan and Korea

[Hakumin]

Originally Posted by bjmac

I would have thought that Kuro Shinju would be on this list. I thought that it is a old neo and can only come from division, or did I miss it on the list.

Firstly, Kuroshinju is seed propagable, though that, strictly speaking, shouldn't have much of a bearing on registration. Quite a few of the ones you see for sale are probably seed grown. Also, I have not been able to find a specific date of discovery, but I don't think the variety is actually that old...I suspect perhaps 30-40 years since it was first discovered.

Regardless, I agree that it's surprising that Kuroshinju is not registered. I can confirm though that it is not.

There are many old varieties as well that have been around for a long time, even ones that can only be propagated by division, that have still not been registered. Registration in Japan is extremely selective, so there are many famous varieties that are not registered.

Some may be too similar to ones that have already been registered, others may be considered not special enough. However, there are yet other varieties that have been around for a while and are quite celebrated and special, but have yet to be registered.

For example, Seikai-shima has documentation dating over 200 years ago. Specimens do currently exist and are extremely expensive and sought after. Yet it's not registered.

On the other hand, others just seem to miss the radar for a long time but eventually get registered. In 2017, Hagihosen was finally registered 34 years after it's discovery. It's a very highly prized variety and many were confused why it took so long to be registered.

[bjmac]

Thanks this is very interesting.

[Pattywack]

Bjmac, Kuroshinju is indeed one that surprised me as are several others. Kasen is another variety bean leaf I have and I believe it is an older one. I actually have 13 plants that are not registered. Some of the more common Neos, especially Fugaku surprised me. Awaharibeni and Suikaden were others I assumed would have been registered. Kuroshinju is such a tiny plant and so cute, I think it definitely needs to be added! Lol

The more I learn, the more fascinating these Neos are!

[Hakumin]

A few updates have been made to the spreadsheet of registered varieties. Links at the top of the thread.

Also, if you haven't already, don't forget to take a look at the Meikan rankings as well:
Japan Fukiran Association Meikan

[u bada]

First time looking at this... yeah definitely interesting what's made the cut and what's not. Also I'm familiar with some at at all tiers but so many I don't think I've seen for sale here in US.

Interesting that senzai is on there but not kuroshinja, other surprises as well. Hisui is pretty up there as is seikai and houmeiden, but all are pretty readily available. I don't see Kouen up there, nor Taiga. Varieties that to me are stunning and I believe tend to command high prices and are low in supply...

[Hakumin]

Originally Posted by u bada

Also I'm familiar with some at at all tiers but so many I don't think I've seen for sale here in US.

The higher up in the ranking you go, the more expensive they get, so vendors in the US don't usually stock many of them unless they're sure that they know someone who will buy it. For those varieties, it's probably best to ask the vendors to obtain them for you.

Originally Posted by u bada

Interesting that senzai is on there but not kuroshinja, other surprises as well.

It's likely that Kuroshinju was never registered because it was too similar to Senzai. In more recent times, they will generally avoid registering varieties that are too similar to one that already is. (Though, in the past they didn't worry so much about that)

Originally Posted by u bada

Hisui is pretty up there as is seikai and houmeiden, but all are pretty readily available.

Hisui, Seikai and Houmeiden actually aren't that highly ranked. Remember, the ranking is split up into two categories. The three columns is one category and the rows are the other category. The varieties in the three columns are not ranked higher than the rows.

If all of the varieties in the three columns were broken up and placed back in the main ranking section, they would be scattered all over the chart from the lowest rank to the highest rank.

Hisui actually was only placed in the 3 columns starting this year actually, supplanting Benkeimaru. Prior to this year, Hisui was actually ranked in the second lowest rank in the rows.

Originally Posted by u bada

I don't see Kouen up there, nor Taiga. Varieties that to me are stunning and I believe tend to command high prices and are low in supply...

Taiga and Kouen don't really command particularly high prices, at least not relatively speaking. Market price for both of those varieties is between $50 and $100 for a single growth of 5-7 leaves. The two most expensive ranked varieties cost $30,000 to $40,000 for a single growth.

[u bada]

To be clear when I say expensive and higher tier of course I'm only really thinking of expensive being beyond 100 to say 300 a fan, and the kinin tier being step up from lowest rank. I mean, not worth even thinking of the Ki-Kihin and Bekkaku-ki-kihin sections lol.

but ok, get most of it, and certainly I"m not exactly clear what I'm looking at even with your explanations.

So if Houmeiden, hisui, seikai are in three pillars than how do you know what row they are actually valued in? And if in three pillars, whether high ranked or lower ranked, this is a special value in itself, correct?

And random question here, as I'd love to just see how a lot of these high ranked ones look like but doubt I'd be able to find them without searching in japanese... what do the highest or high ranked beans look like? Out of curiousity what are a few, regardless of type, from the 2 higher ranks that you particularly love?

[Hakumin]

Originally Posted by u bada

So if Houmeiden, hisui, seikai are in three pillars than how do you know what row they are actually valued in? And if in three pillars, whether high ranked or lower ranked, this is a special value in itself, correct?

Yes, the ranking within the three pillars is a special ranking in its own independent of the rest of the meikan.

The three pillar varieties ranked from top to bottom are:

1. Fukiden
2. Kinbotan
3. Oemaru Shima
4. Mangetsu
5. Yokihime
6. Keiga
7. Suiho
8. Himiko
9. Suisen

10. Tamanishiki
11. Ginsekai
12. Unryu no Taki
13. Yūkoku Nishiki
14. Kinkonishiki
15. Mihata
16. Karanishiki
17. Homeiden
18. Maizuru
19. Seikai
20. Hisui
21. Shunkyuden

While this doesn't necessarily say where each variety would fall in the main ranking categories, it should help give an idea, given that all of the three pillar varieties would be ranked Kihin or higher.

Other than educated guesses, if a variety was only recently moved to the pillars, looking at meikans previous to that can give you an idea of how it would be ranked otherwise.

Originally Posted by u bada

And random question here, as I'd love to just see how a lot of these high ranked ones look like but doubt I'd be able to find them without searching in japanese... what do the highest or high ranked beans look like?

No problem. I'll go through all of the beanies in the three pillars, and then the beanies in the top three ranks, Bekkaku Ki-Kihin, Ki-Kihin, and Zensei Ki-Kihin. Here we go:

Three Pillars, Excellence:
Suisen

Three Pillars, Popular:
Maizuru
Seikai

Bekkaku Ki-Kihin:
Kongoho
Kinkirin

Ki-Kihin:
Kochosen
Kirinju
Kokuryu
Ryokusaiho

Zensei Ki-Kihin:
Shigyoku
Benikujaku
Tengyokuho

Originally Posted by u bada

Out of curiousity what are a few, regardless of type, from the 2 higher ranks that you particularly love?

My favorites of the top two tiers are....

Hakubotan (Better Pic Here)
Hanamizuki
Kongoho

Hagihosen
Nioiodoshi
Kinshiryu
Kokuryu
Kotonoyuki
Nankai Sekko
Ryokusaiho
Saikaku

[bjmac]

Thanks Hakumin great to see some of the wonderful beans. That Kongoho would be my favorite.

[u bada]

Thanks for all that, been enjoying it, admittedly a bit overwhelming.

Some comments/ questions out loud:

-How much does a fan of kongoho go for? and how slow is it said to grow? Reminds me so much of my little collection of variegated haworthias, so slow growing, then again they're faster growing than most neos it seems...

-Ryokusaiho could be a "cheaper" variegated bean?

-Kochosen / Kirinju, where do dark pigmentation and dark lines, semi, stand with desirability overall? For some reason got impression they're appreciated as novelty but not appreciated as quality for high ranking...? but of course I see such qualities here so I'm wondering when/how such qualities are considered good expressions?

-hagihosen is pretty incredible, as is saikaku. wow.