Popular Japanese koi breed guide

Kohaku, is the most well-known variety of koi fish and one of the oldest. They have a solid white base with patterns of red overlaid on top of the white. Top quality Kohaku could cost a few thousand up to a million euro.

Sanke is a koi with a solid white base overlaid by patterns of both red and black. It is commonly said that a high quality Sanke pattern begins with a great Kohaku pattern, to which the black is a welcome complement.

Tancho is a variation of Kohaku, in which the only red pattern appears as a single red dot on the head. The symmetry and placement of the Tancho mark are main factors in determining the quality of any particular koi. There should not be any red colour on the body.

Shiro Utsuri are koi with a black base overlaid by areas of white. A high quality Shiro Utsuri will combine clean white patterns with a deep, lacquer-like black. A split head of both black and white is also an important requirement for top quality specimen.

Hi Utsuri combine black base colour with patterns of deep red or orange. Red Hi Utsuri are superior to orange. Many Hi Utsuri will display a dull orange pattern at a young age, which may develop into a brighter and more desirable red pattern as the koi grows and matures.

Ki Utsuri, by far the rarest type of Utsuri, combine patterns of yellow over black body.

Asagi are koi that display a blue net-like pattern on the back, complemented by red or orange on the belly, gill plates, fins and body. The red or orange pattern will develop up from the bottom of the body as the koi ages. Top quality Asagi have a red pattern that does not extend above the lateral line.

Shusui are the scaleless (doitsu) version of Asagi. The blue net pattern is replaced by a single row of scales along the dorsal line at the top of the back. Like Asagi, the belly, gill plates, sides and fins of Shusui display an orange or red pattern.

Matsuba are koi that combine a solid, metallic coloured base with a black net pattern. The base colour of Matsuba can vary.

Platinum Ogon are solid, metallic-white koi. A clear white head and unblemished white body are crucial to the quality of a Platinum Ogon.

Yamabuki Ogon are koi of a solid, metallic-yellow colour. As with other Ogon koi, a clean, unblemished head and body are important.

Kujaku are koi with a solid white base, accented by a black net pattern along with patterns of red/orange/yellow. The net pattern is created by a black edging on each individual scale.

Goromo are, in essence, a Kohaku with blue or black edging added to each red scale.

Goshiki are koi with a solid white base with black and blue edging, and red and black patterns overlaying the white, black and blue colours of the base. Goshiki translates as “five colours”.

Kikokuryu are scaleless (doitsu) koi with a white base combined with areas of black inside the single row of scales, along the back outside of the row, and on the head around the eyes and nose.