Today some of these villages

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Koi were often depicted in works of art, indicating their importance in Japanese culture colors. In fact, there is little evidence of colored koi before the early 1800s. At that time, Nishikigoi was kept as a prized possession by the noblemen of the time- the forerunners of today’s hobbyists. It is widely accepted that the true colored koi originated in Japan from the Niigata prefecture (similar to a small county) during the early 1800s/ Hishikigoi originated in the villages of Takerawa, Higashiyama, Ota, Taneuhara, and Kamagashima.


have been enveloped by the expansion of the city mobile phone number database australia of Ojiya, the “home” of Nishikigoi. In fact, there is a wonderful Nishikigoi Information Centre given over to the history of koi in the center of the city. Niigata is located on the west coast of Honshu island, a 2-hour bullet train ride from the capital, Tokyo. Niigata is revered throughout the world as being the best area for breeding koi Some people say this is due to the quality of the mountain waters, whereas others claim the secret lies in the mud ponds that naturally contain montmorillionite clay, which is rich in vitamins and minerals.


Whatever the reason, or as a result of the combination of both qualities, Niigata attracted the most famous names in koi breeding to the area. There is no record of what was the first koi mutation, but it is thought to have been a red carp called “Hoo-kazuki,” possibly from a mutant black carp. From this original red carp mutation the first white koi was produced. These were subsequently crossbred, resulting in the first red-and-white carp, originally called “Hara-aka,” meaning red belly. The red-and-white carp is the oldest and still by far the most popular colored variety in Japan.