Coloring Koi: Defining The Color Boundary

As the old saying goes, there is no accounting for taste. And it’s true of koi enthusiasts, too. The big tea-colored chagoi that eats out of your hand may look bland to your friends, but to you she is so cute.

However, there are accepted standards in the koi world that govern judging criteria, and as such denote the cream of the koi crop.

One of those features, is how colors interact, especially in the Gosanke category (Kohaku, Sanke and Showa). So what are you supposed to be looking for when you look at how colors blend across your nishikigoi?

Kiwa

The Kiwa (which literally means “edge”) is where and how the two colors meet. It is most pronounced in the Gosanke class where reds, blacks and whites all meet. The kiwa is most noticeable at the trailing edge of the pattern, and the clearer (or sharper) the definition between the colors the better the quality is considered.

The kiwa is expressed in two different styles or patterns:

Kamisori Kiwa

Kamisori means “razor” and it describes how the pattern appears to have been sliced through the colors to create a clean, sharp and straight edge to the white (shiroji), red (hi) and or black (sumi).

Maruzome Kiwa

It is also referred to as tama giwa. This is the rounded or scalloping that follows the edges of the colored scale. In Kohaku the red scalloping is said to resemble the petals of a cherry blossom that are popular in Japan.

Which kiwa pattern is “better” or more highly valued is all a matter of taste and personal preference for koi keepers. It is possible to find both kiwa elements on the same fish. It is known as Konzai (“mixture”) kiwa. 

Sashi

Ever wonder about the pink or greyish looking blurry spots in your koi’s scales? That is the sashi. Short for sashikomi, it is a colored scale that is overlayed by an unfinished white scale.

The sashi occurs between the leading edge of the red (hi) plate or black (sumi) and the white (shiroji) ahead of it. Because the white scale covers it, it gives it the blurred and lightened color. As the koi ages, the white scale thickens and the color underneath will get masked.

Some consider the blurring effect to be unsightly; however, the sashi can be a positive. Because the color is showing, it can indicate the strength and vibrancy of the color scales in a young koi that will develop into a deep, thick color as it matures.

Ideally, (for judging purposes) the sashi should not be more than 2 scales deep (called Nimai sashi) and not all over the koi. The color along the leading edges where the sashi is found should also be even and uniform throughout the sashi. If the color is uneven it can be an indication that the edge (if it develops) will not be a “clean” edge.

Beauty is definitely in the eye of the beholder, but it is nice to know how koi are evaluated for the sake of quality. Clear, smooth, even, uneven, razored, scalloped in the end it is all about your interaction with your koi. So enjoy them!