Page 35 - Koi Net - On-Line Koi Magazine - Issue 75
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Kage Sumi (Shadow Sumi): This style involves sumi that where I believe the most enjoyment is to be had for
appears as a shadowy, underlying presence beneath hobbyists in having Showa Koi in their pond.
the skin. It may start as a light grey or blue when under But others may prefer a more finished fish at an earlier
the white areas, and gradually darken over time. Kage age. In this instance, there is much to enjoy about the
sumi adds an element of mystery and anticipation, as quality of the final colours, and the final pattern.
hobbyists wait for the black to fully emerge. This type
of sumi also gives Showa a layered appearance, adding The range of choice with Showa’s is broad. And
depth and complexity to the pattern as the Koi matures. preferences may range between breeders, and also
between hobbyists.
Red (Beni) and White (Shiroji):
Different Pattern Styles of Showa
Ideally, each colour should be consistent wherever it
appears on the Koi, remaining unblemished and clean. INTERACTION The interaction of red, white and black can create
A deep, opaque colour is ideal. endless variations, making each Showa a unique work
OF RED, WHITE of art. Showa patterns can vary dramatically but there
Thoughts on change are a few different styles that we can describe:
AND BLACK
CHANGE Change itself, is celebrated by the Showa Koi variety. CAN CREATE Traditional Showa: These Showa tend to have more
It’s one of the reasons I warm to this variety a great
ITSELF, IS deal, because I personally love change. Change can be ENDLESS extensive black coverage, with sumi being the most
dominant colour. The patterns are more aggressive
CELEBRATED challenging and stressful but often leads to learning VARIATIONS and bold, with the red and white often playing
and provides experience and progression.
BY THE The changes in a Showa over the first 12 months of its secondary roles.
SHOWA KOI life are huge. And, a Showa can continue to change Hi Showa: In this pattern, the red (hi) takes on a more
prominent role, often dominating the body and creating
over many years.
VARIETY a fiery contrast with the black and white. Hi Showa are
Let me give you an example. On one Showa spawning popular for their intense colouration and are particularly
we ran from a parent female from Ueno, we’d selected prized when the hi is well-balanced with the sumi.
just the black newly hatched larva to grow on and then Kindai Showa: Also known as ‘modern Showa’, this
6-8 weeks later when faced with first selection, almost style features a larger proportion of white, resulting in a
all of the Showa fry were fully black. Some had lighter appearance compared to traditional Showa. The
underlying patterns of another colour, and those are the black and red are often more balanced and refined, with
ones we kept. A few months later, the fry we’d kept fewer black areas dominating the body.
looked almost like Kohaku at the same age – very few
traces of any black colour across the spawning. And Examples
then at about a year old, the sumi started to come back
I’ve carefully selected a range of photographs from my
through.
archives to showcase different examples of Showa Koi,
While some breeders aim for Showa that reach a each highlighting the variety of pattern styles and sumi
finished appearance more quickly, others appreciate expressions that make this variety so captivating. In this
the journey of maturation, which allows for a more section, you’ll see an assortment of Showa, from rare,
gradual and engaging transformation over time. high-value specimens to more accessible Koi that are
currently for sale or that caught my eye at various Koi
I prefer to aim at a Showa in our breeding that has
shows over the years. These examples illustrate the
quality within the breeding lines to produce three great
incredible diversity within the Showa variety, where
colours; and also delivers a positive experience of
both subtle and bold pattern variations can result in
change. It’s what a Showa was named after, it’s the
strikingly beautiful Koi.
nature of its three coloured banded pattern, and that is
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