Kōhaku
Kōhaku (紅白 (kōhaku, "red and white")) is a variety of ornamental koi (carp). The Kōhaku has a white body, with red markings across the body. It is considered one of the ‘Big Three’ varieties of Koi, along with the Sanke, and Showa.
The Kōhaku breed is believed to be one of the first ornamental carp varieties developed. The variety dates to 1888, when a man named Kunizo Hiroi bred a red-headed female koi with one of his own males, whose markings resembled cherry blossoms, thus creating the now extinct Gosuke bloodline from which all of the known Kōhaku bloodlines established (Tomoin, Sensuke, Yagozen, Manzo). Today, the Tomoin and Yagozen are the two remaining major Kōhaku bloodlines in Japan. The Kōhaku remains one of the most popular breeds in Japan. The bright red markings are known as hi (緋).
Kōhaku are bred to have the following characteristics:
