All Japan Grand Champion 2013
The Kohaku is considered the king of Koi because this variety is believed to be the ancestor of all subsequent Koi varieties. The beautiful red and white koi that have fascinated koi keepers since the very beginning of the hobby.
Kohaku are the undisputed main event of most koi shows and undoubtedly the most sought after of the Living Jewels. Kohaku have won the most major awards in all International Koi shows.
It is said “appreciation of koi starts and ends with Kohaku”. What that means is Kohaku was the first class to be bred consistently or stabilized in about 1890. It also means that after a person has studied all of the classes of koi and has become experienced, they will come back to appreciate Kohaku for its simplicity and beauty.
The beauty of a Kohaku lies in the purity of it’s white body and the depth and intensity of the red patterns. The edges of the red markings should be crisp and clear against an unblemished white background. This crisp edge is referred to as the “kiwa”.
Kohaku come in literally thousands of patterns with no two koi the same but some of the more recognized patterns are as follow:
- Tancho: A single red crown-like marking in the center of the head.
- Ohmoyo: Any single, large, unbroken pattern extending from head to tail.
- Nidan: A two step pattern.
- Sandan: One of the most popular, a three step pattern. (Yondan= 4 step, Godan= 5 step etc.)
- Kuchibeni: Literally “lipstick”, indicates red (beni) on the mouth.
