Koi Varieties Page 3

This category includes all Koi with shiny body but devoid of any markings. Hikari-muji are divided into "Yamabuki Ogon (with pure yellow, metallic sheen on the entire body)," "Platinum Ogon (with shining platinum color)," "Orange Ogon (with orange sheen)," "Kin Matsuba (litreally 'golden pine needles,' for individual, glittering scales appearing like raised markings)", and "Gin Matsuba (litreally 'silvery pine needles,' for glittering scales on the platinum ground which look like raised markings)," etc.

Hikari utsuri are Koi of Showa Utsurimono group (Showa Sanshoku, Shiro Utsuri, and Hi Utsuri, etc.) displaying "Hikari (luster or glitter)," and include "Kin Showa (with lustrous gold color)," "Gin Shiro Utsuri (with platinum sheen)," and "Kin Ki Utsuri (litreally 'golden yellow Utsuri')."

The point of appreciating this group is of course the intensity of the Hikari, the very characteristic of the Hikarimono group.

Hikari-moyo comprise all shiny Koi excepting Hikari-muji and Hikari Utsuri mentioned before.. They include "Hariwake" with patterns of gold blended with platinum skin, "Yamato-nishiki (Japanese brocade)" with patterns of Taisho Sanshoku shining on platinum skin, and Kujaku Ogon (peacock gold)" with shiny Goshiki (five colors) patterns.

Koi with a red head patch are called "Tancho." Most common are "Tancho Kohaku (all-white Koi with Tancho)," "Tancho Sanshoku (white Koi with Sumi similar to Shiro Bekko, and with Tancho)," and "Tancho Showa (Showa Sanshoku without red markings except for Tancho)," etc. However, "Tancho Goshiki (Koi of five colors with Tancho)," and "Tancho Hariwake" are rare.

Tancho do not form a single, independent kind of Nishikigoi; they all can be bred from Kohaku, Taisho Sankshoku or Showa Sanshoku. Their red patch happen to show up only in the head region. Tancho, therefore, can not be produced in bulk even if you so wish.

Koi with shiny golden or silvery scales are called "Kinginrin." Shining white scales are referred to as "Ginrin," and shining scales within red markings as "Kinrin." Ginrin are further classified by their appearance into Tama (ge)-gin, Pearl-ginrin and Diamond-ginrin, etc. Diamond-ginrin shine most brilliantly among all Ginrin, and seem to appear distinctly all over the body. Kinginrin have been bred into almost all varieties of Nishikigoi.