What Is Nishikigoi?

Nishikigoi — brocade carp — are ornamental coloured carp bred in Japan, judged as swimming art rather than as ordinary pond fish.

Nishikigoi are domesticated carp (Cyprinus carpio) selected over generations for colour and pattern. The word joins nishiki, brocade, with koi, carp: a fish patterned like woven silk.

What separates nishikigoi from the carp in a river or a garden pond is breeding intent. Wild-type carp are brown-olive camouflage fish. Nishikigoi lines are maintained by breeders who select parent fish for pattern, body and skin, raise thousands of young, and keep only a small fraction — the culling and selection process is the engine behind every variety in this guide.

This site covers the Japan side of the subject: the variety system, the producing regions, the show system, and how to see real nishikigoi in Japan. It does not run a breeder or shop database, quote prices, or teach pond treatment — the boundaries are listed on the About page.

Sources: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA — summary in our own words, credit only); All Japan Nishikigoi Promotion Association official; Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (MAFF) and Finance Ministry trade statistics as published; Japanese Agricultural Standard (JAS) for nishikigoi variety names and definitions (2022); Niigata Prefecture, Ojiya City, Nagaoka City (Yamakoshi) and Nishikigoi no Sato official; Japan National Tourism Organization (JNTO) visitor statistics; USDA APHIS and Australian DAFF official import guidance. Checked 6 November 2026.