Description
Showa Grade A Koi Carp Cyprinus Carpio
A Showa Sanshoku (SHOW-wah san-SHO-koo), often shortened to Showa, is a three-coloured koi very similar to the Sanke variety. While the Sanke variety has a base colour of shiroji (white) with hi (red) and sumi (black) markings, the Showa variety has a base colour of sumi with shiroji and hi markings. These very similar markings can often make it difficult to tell the two varieties apart, especially for koi keepers new to the hobby.
Currently the Showa variety is the most popular variety out of the Gosanke trio. This is mostly due to its rarity about 20 years ago. As the Showa were the rarest Gosanke koi, they were very valuable, especially the best quality Showa. This then led to the demand increasing as everyone wanted the rarest, most special koi. Therefore, more koi breeders in Japan started breeding Showa koi and now, 20 years later, the number of Showa koi is much greater and so, the variety has become more affordable making them a very popular fish for beginner and experienced Koi keepers alike!
The variety was first bred by a breeder named Jukichi Hoshino. He bred a Kohaku with a Ki Utsuri (black and yellow koi) to produce the first Showa koi in 1927 Unfortunately, the Showa produced was a very poor-looking Showa. The hi and sumi should be vibrant and distinct but this was not the case here. The variety continued to be bred however with each generation looking a little bit better than the last.
It was not until 1965 however, that the first Showa were bred that are of as good a quality as we see today. The breeder Tomiji Kobayashi bred a female Showa with a male Kohaku to great success. He noticed that the yellow colourations in the Ki Utsuri were resulting in the hi of the Showa being dull and off-colour so he tried to counter that by adding the vibrant red of a Kohaku and the result was Showa with the vibrant hi and deep sumi that is very desired. From this success, the variety was suddenly in massive demand and the Showa blossomed into the big Gosanke variety that we know today.
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