 Today Koi are bred in every country and considered to be the most popular fresh-water ornamental pond fish and are often referred to as being "living jewels" or "swimming flowers".
Koi are a variety of the common carp, Cyprinus carpio.
Contrary to belief, Koi are not indigenous to Japan. They are believed to originate from eastern Asia, in the Black, Caspian, Aral Seas and China. The earliest written records of Koi were found in China. Koi were believed to be introduced to Japan with the invading Chinese and a first account of them being kept by an emperor in Japan, apparently dates Back to AD 200.
Carp fossils have been discovered in South China dating back about 20 million years. Some varieties are known for their hardiness, which records claim can live for long periods of time if simply wrapped in wet moss continuously kept damp.
Koi, or Nishikigoi. - Japanese for "brocaded" carp - were first described in writing from a Chinese book written during the Western Chin Dynasty, 265-316 A.D. At that time they were described as white, red, black and blue.
What happened to Koi between the 2nd to the 17th century is still a mystery, but many suspect Koi gradually spread through the orient, possibly by way of trade caravans to and from the middle east.
The farmers in the rice-growing region of the Niigata Prefecture started raising magoi (carp) to supplement their winter diet. They raised these carp in the ponds they used to flood their rice paddies. About 200 years ago one of the farmers noticed a carp with some red color. Some of the farmers started separating the fish that had different coloration's, and breeding them together.
The interest in this pastime grew and more color variations were developed. It wasn't until 1914 that some of the most beautiful varieties were shown at an exposition in Tokyo. Some of these colored carp were presented to Crown Prince Hirohito.
Japan trips
Here at The Nottingham Koi Company, we travel to Japan to hand select High Grade Koi twice a year, in March, and in October.
Reglar breeders we visit and buy from in Niigata are as follows
Nogami : Hi Grade Go Sanke
Hiroi : Stunning Goshiki & Doitsu Ochiba
Oomo : High Grade Showa and Beni Kymonoryu
Sakazume: Qualty Koromo
Torazo : Go Sanke & Tancho
Kase : Stunning Doitsu and metallic varieties
Kaneko : Renowned for stunning Kujaku and Shiro Utsuri
Marusyo :Stunning Go-SANKE and Kawarimono
The Birth of Nishikigoi
Nishikigoi is said to have originated in the district of former Yamakoshi Village (current Nagaoka City) and Ojiya City in Niigata Prefecture.
Niigata Prefecture is located directly above Tokyo, further north than Nagano Prefecture, in which the 1998 Winter Olympics where held. It faces the Japan Sea. Since early times, it has been known as a major production area of rice, the staple diet of the Japanese people. It also is abundant in seafood as it faces the ocean. It attracts many visitors in the winter as there are many ski resorts and hot springs.
Yamakoshi Village
The birthplace of Nishikigoi, Yamakoshi Village, is located in the Chuestu region, located just about in the centre of Niigata. Its rich nature and beautiful seasonal scenery make remarkable photo spots as many of you would have seen . The residents live a mountain life in the grand mountains with the spirits of “not destroying the nature but living with it. Such scenery is one of the few original Japanese scenes.
However, Yamakoshi Village’s winter is harsh. Niigata itself is known as an area of heavy snowfall, but snowfall in Yamakoshi is so extraordinary that snow can accumulate up to more than 4 meters (13 feet). If nothing is done about the snow, the houses will collapse under the weight, so it is a daily routine for family members to sweep it off the roof in winter.
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