In addition to being the oldest koi varieties, Gosanke are easily the most popular and well known, even amongst those outside the koi fish community.
Everything Gosanke begins and ends with Kohaku. With its solid white base and vibrant red markings, known as “Hi”, the Kohaku is considered to be the foundation of all koi varieties. Kohaku may have a solid white body with a single spot of hi on it’s head — known as Tancho, or a more complex, multi-step pattern of hi along its body, or any variation in between. Most koi enthusiasts begin their journey with Kohaku, before moving then returning back to this iconic fish once their eye and appreciation for koi has become more refined.
The Taisho Sanke or “Sanke” for short, is much like the Kohaku with its white base and its red hi markings. The additional black markings or “Sumi” spotted along the back of the fish are what separate it from the Kohaku. In Sanke, the sumi is confined to the top of the fish above the lateral line and behind its head.
Showa Sanshoku, or “Showa” for short is very similar to the Sanke with its white, red, and black colorations. With Showa however, the sumi is banded as opposed to spotted, wrapping the way around the koi’s body as well as appearing on its head. While the Kohaku and Sanke have a white base, the Showa is considered to have a black base, beginning life as an all black fish.
All other varieties of koi are derived from these three base koi varieities.