Japanese Koi carp - The Origins, The History and Today

Koi, a Japanese word meaning carp. Today, it is the Japanese that are revered as the authority on Koi fish, as it is there continued breeding efforts that have led to many of today’s colour varieties and species. In Japan the Japanese Koi Carp is a symbol of strength, and it is the Japanese Koi Carp ‘NISHIKIGOI’ (brocaded Carp) that are revered all over the world as the most stunning of decorative pet fish. It is also widely known that all carp are direct offspring of black Koi known in Japan as ‘Magoi’. But, the history of Koi goes back much further then the widely popular Japanese Koi Carp of today.

Let’s dive in.

There are carp fossils in China dating back some 20 million years, and there are historical records which point towards China as being the first to breed carp for colour mutations. In fact, Prussian carp were selectively bred leading to the development of the ever-popular goldfish. Now goldfish were not introduced to Japan until the 16^th century.

In all accounts, it is recognized that Koi, from the Latin name Cyprinus Carpio meaning Carp, originated in the surrounding areas of the Caspian Sea. Koi had an exceptional ability for survival and adaptation to divers water and climate conditions, thus making the domesticated species ideal for circulation to new places including Japan. Legend has it that Koi were introduced to Central Europe around the 14^th century by the crusaders. Later, Monks adopted this role continuing the distribution of Koi throughout China and South East Asia, all as a major source of food.

Now no one really seems to know exactly how or when Koi were first introduced to Japan. Some have theories of Koi being introduced to Japan during an invasion by the Chinese, while others speculate about Koi having been kept by a Japanese emperor dating back to 200 AD. But, Koi history is still a mystery from the 2^nd to the 17^th century as the investigation continues today.

As time moved on, historical commentary tells us that Japanese rice farmers of Ojiya in the Niigata province, were raising common Japanese Koi carp as a food source for sale in local markets. These farmers became Koi breeders between the 1820s and the early to mid 1840’s. This transformation occurred when farmers began to notice random pigment irregularities in some of their Koi food stock. This is said to have led to the development of Koi keeping as a hobby among local working class farmers. These early Koi breeders began keeping these specially colored carp as pets. Soon after, as a leisurely past time, neighboring farmers would collaborate on breeding their collection of colored Koi together.

Now up until the early 1900’s, only the farmers themselves kept their colored carp as a private hobby and pastime. But in 1914, during the Tokyo Taisho Exhibition, Koi farmers/breeders brought their colored carp to the attention of the Japanese public. It was then that the interest in Japanese Koi carp exploded throughout Japan. With the national enthusiasm of Koi sparked, and an ever-growing popularity of Koi, there began a kind of competition among owners to breed new colors and species of Japanese Koi carp. The hobby of Koi keeping eventually spread worldwide.