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Koi breeders and farms

By the koi.wiki editorial team · Updated

Key facts: Nishikigoi (錦鯉) breeders are producers who raise and select koi, concentrated historically in Niigata Prefecture but also active in Hiroshima, Okayama and elsewhere in Japan[1].
Nishikigoi production in Japan traces to Niigata Prefecture, where color mutations first appeared among food carp kept in the Nijumura area, now part of Ojiya and Nagaoka[1][4]. Niigata remains the largest producing prefecture, accounting for 43.1% of Japan's reported sales volume of nishikigoi in 2024, followed by Okayama, Fukuoka, Hiroshima and Saitama[1]. According to the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries statistics cited by JETRO, Japan's domestic sales volume of nishikigoi was about 2.48 million fish in 2024, a 3.6% decrease from the prior year, attributed partly to a shift from mass production of small fish toward lower-volume production of larger, higher-value fish favored by overseas buyers[1].Individual farms named across sources include Dainichi Koi Farm, Marudo Koi Farm, Isa Koi Farm, Maruhiro Koi Farm and Suda Koi Farm, among others cited by the US dealer Kodama Koi Farm in its auction listings[5]. Breeders such as Dainichi, Sakai and Momotaro are described by Kodama Koi Farm as "elite breeders" whose lineage and reputation affect pricing of Gosanke (御三家) varieties—Kohaku, Showa Sanshoku and Taisho Sanshoku (Sanke)[3].

Breeder profiles

Dainichi Koi Farm, based in Ojiya City, Niigata, is one of the most frequently cited producers. A Kohaku bred by Dainichi won the grand champion title at the 1st Airs Koi World Nishikigoi online show, an AI-judged competition with 520 Kohaku entries from 11 countries[6]. Dainichi also produced the winning Showa Sanshoku at the International Juvenile Koi Show in Ojiya, and the breeder's total winning fish that year was 36 cm[6]. Dainichi Koi Farm is additionally listed as the breeder of numerous Kohaku lots auctioned through Kodama Koi Farm, a US importer and dealer[5].Sakai Fish Farm Co., Ltd., located in Hiroshima, bred the Taisho Sanshoku that won the grand championship at the 53rd All Japan Nishikigoi Show held at the Tokyo Ryutsu Center in January 2023; at the time the fish was six years old and 100 cm long[6]. According to Koi Judges UK, a Kohaku known as S Legend, purchased for £1.4 million at a Sakai auction for a Chinese customer, was the Grand Champion of the 50th Anniversary Shinkokai Show in 2019[7].Okayama Momotaro Koi, based in Okayama, produced the grand champion Kohaku of the 39th All Japan Young Koi Show, held at Himeji Castle Otemae Park in March 2023; the fish was three years old and 63 cm long, and the farm had also won the Kokugyo Award in the preceding division two years earlier[6].Marudo Koi Farm, Isa Koi Farm, Maruhiro Koi Farm and Suda Koi Farm appear as breeders of Kohaku and ginrin Kohaku lots listed for auction by Kodama Koi Farm, with fish ranging from roughly 21 cm to 60 cm and estimated values from a few hundred to several thousand dollars[5].Maruyama Koi Farm, based in Yamanashi, produced a 35 cm Ginrin Kohaku that won a category championship at the International Juvenile Koi Show in Ojiya[6].Hoshikin Koi Farm and Yamacho Koi Farm are named by Kodama Koi Farm as large, well-known Japanese breeders affected by a koi herpesvirus (KHV) outbreak reported around 2019; according to Kodama Koi Farm, Hoshikin had terminated and sanitized affected stock by the time of a site visit in January 2019, and infected koi from these breeders had already been shipped internationally before cases were confirmed, including in Europe and the United States[8]. See the koi herpesvirus (KHV) page for more on the disease itself.

Production regions

Niigata City's Ojiya area is described by Ojiya City itself as synonymous with nishikigoi, producing about 45% of the prefecture's koi[4]. The city's Nishikigoi no Sato (錦鯉の里) facility displays koi and exhibits on history, varieties and husbandry, and holds koi exhibitions in spring and autumn, including the Echigo Ojiya Tatekoi exhibition for overwintered fish and an autumn prefectural show[4]. The 65th Niigata Prefecture Nishikigoi Show, held in November 2025 at Ojiya's general gymnasium, drew 469 entries and 1,010 visitors over two days; the top overall award went to a Kohaku, and a 102 cm Chagoi won a "jumbo" prize; the overall winning producer was Dainichi Yoikoiba (大日養鯉場)[9].Beyond Niigata, JETRO's 2024 prefectural sales figures rank Okayama second (12.8% of national volume), Fukuoka third (11.2%), Hiroshima fourth (6.1%) and Saitama fifth (4.8%)[1].

Industry organizations and branding

The All Japan Nishikigoi Promotion Association (全日本錦鯉振興会), established in Ojiya City in January 1970, maintains a membership list of registered farms and dealers searchable by area on its website[10][1]. As of July 2025 it reported 269 domestic members and 219 overseas members across 27 countries and regions[1]. The association is recognized by Japan's Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries as an approved export-promotion body for agricultural, forestry and fishery products, and runs overseas promotional activities including events in Singapore and Shanghai[1]. See the All Japan Nishikigoi Promotion Association page for more on the organization itself.According to JETRO, Niigata Prefecture designated nishikigoi its official ornamental fish in 2017, and in 2022 Japan's JAS (Japanese Agricultural Standards) system defined standard terminology and 21 basic variety names and definitions[1]. A secondary source states that the number of recognized nishikigoi varieties has grown to around 150[1]; this figure applies to varietal count generally rather than any single breeder's output, and readers can compare variety classifications on the variety classification page.

Exports and market value

A later JETRO report states that 2025 nishikigoi exports rose 37.9% year on year to about ¥9.97 billion[2]. Japan's Ministry of Agriculture has named nishikigoi a priority export item, targeting ¥10 billion in total exports by 2030, including planned allocations to Vietnam, Indonesia, Thailand, the EU, and China/Hong Kong[1]. More detail on trade flows and regulation appears on the koi industry and exports page.Challenges to export growth cited by JETRO include shipping time limits of around 48 hours for live fish, which favor air transport to destinations with direct flights from Japan, and quarantine or import-registration requirements in destination countries; for example, Chinese-registered Japanese facilities faced a roughly year-long suspension of exports after registrations lapsed around late 2023[1]. Concerns about counterfeit "Japanese" koi sold abroad have driven interest in traceability tools, including production-certificate systems and microchip (IC tag) implantation for individual koi, according to Japan Koi Service (ジャパンコイサービス), a Ojiya-based export company founded in 2020[2].

Auctions and shows

Auctions are a significant sales channel for Japanese-bred koi. Kodama Koi Farm, a US-based dealer, lists koi for auction by breeder, sex, birth year, size and estimated value, with lots from farms such as Dainichi, Marudo, Isa, Maruhiro and Suda[5]. The Sakai auction in Hiroshima was the site of the record £1.4 million sale of the Kohaku S Legend in 2019, according to Koi Judges UK[7]; further detail is covered on the koi auctions and record koi prices and S Legend pages.Major Japanese shows that showcase breeders' fish include the All Japan Nishikigoi Show at the Tokyo Ryutsu Center, the All Japan Young Koi Show at Himeji Castle, and the International Juvenile Koi Show in Ojiya, all organized under JNPA-affiliated events[6]. According to Shinkokai USA, organized national-level koi shows trace to the 1960s, when shows held at venues such as the Takanawa Prince Hotel and discussions among figures including Mitsuo Takatsuki, Hideo Miya and Niigata breeder Yoshio Isa of Maruyo Koi Farm led to calls for a nationwide koi show and organization[11]. The 53rd All Japan Nishikigoi Show in 2023 included the world's first AI-judged online competition, the Airs Koi World Nishikigoi Show[6]. A later JETRO report describes an "AI Koi Show" held by the All Japan Nishikigoi Promotion Association in February 2026, in which artificial intelligence trained on data from more than 50,000 previously exhibited koi scored skeletal structure, pattern and luster for a first-round judgment, followed by a final human review by association members; the AI was reported to handle five varieties[2]. For judging criteria generally, see how koi are judged.

Breeders and competitions outside Japan

Koi shows outside Japan also record breeder names, though with less consistency than Japanese events. The UK's National Koi Show listed Taniguchi Koi Farm as breeder of its 2026 Grand Champion, an 82 cm Sanke four years old, shown by dealer Yume Koi Japan[12]. At the 49th Sydney Koi Show in 2026, results listings credited breeders including Minnamurra Koi, Australian Home Bred Koi, Peter Colgan and various individual exhibitors across classes such as Kohaku, Goshiki, Tancho, Kinginrin, Kawarimono and Mujimono, though many entries did not list a breeder[13]. These results illustrate that outside Japan, koi exhibited at shows may be bred domestically by hobbyists or imported from Japanese farms. See koi shows in the UK and koi shows in Asia for further show listings.

Entries in this section

Common questions

Which prefecture is most associated with koi breeding in Japan?
Niigata Prefecture is the historic center of nishikigoi breeding, accounting for 43.1% of Japan's reported sales volume in 2024, with the Ojiya area alone producing about 45% of the prefecture's koi[1][4].
What are considered the most prestigious koi breeders?
Sources repeatedly name Dainichi Koi Farm (Ojiya), Sakai Fish Farm (Hiroshima) and Okayama Momotaro Koi (Okayama) as breeders of grand champion koi at major Japanese shows, and the dealer Kodama Koi Farm describes Dainichi, Sakai and Momotaro as "elite breeders"[6][3].
How are breeders verified or found?
The All Japan Nishikigoi Promotion Association maintains a searchable membership list of registered farms and dealers by area[10]; the association also offers a production-certificate system to help verify an individual koi's breeder and lineage[2].
Has koi herpesvirus affected major breeders?
Yes; according to Kodama Koi Farm, an outbreak around 2019 affected well-known Japanese farms including Hoshikin Koi Farm and Yamacho Koi Farm, and infected fish had already been shipped internationally before cases were confirmed[8]. See koi herpesvirus (KHV) for more on the disease.
What is the record price paid for a breeder's koi?
According to Koi Judges UK, the Kohaku known as S Legend, bred and sold through a Sakai auction in Hiroshima, was purchased for £1.4 million for a Chinese buyer and was Grand Champion of the 50th Anniversary Shinkokai Show in 2019[7].

References

  1. ^ 日本の伝統文化・美意識の象徴、錦鯉を世界へ発信 | 地域・分析レポート - 海外ビジネス情報 - ジェトロ. JETRO. jetro.go.jp/biz/areareports/2025/ee7cac04ab0dfd5d.html. Retrieved November 2026.
  2. ^ デジタル技術を活用した日本産錦鯉の価値普及 | 地域・分析レポート - 海外ビジネス情報 - ジェトロ. JETRO. jetro.go.jp/biz/areareports/2026/6c494243103c23ea.html. Retrieved November 2026.
  3. ^ All About Gosanke Koi Fish Varieties "The Big Three!". Kodama Koi Farm (koi dealer). kodamakoifarm.com/gosanke-koi-fish/. Retrieved November 2026.
  4. ^ 錦鯉の里 - 小千谷市ホームページ. Ojiya City. city.ojiya.niigata.jp/site/kanko/nishikigoinosato.html. Retrieved November 2026.
  5. ^ Kohaku - Koi for Sale and History - Kodama Koi Farm. Kodama Koi Farm (koi dealer). kodamakoifarm.com/variety/kohaku/. Retrieved November 2026.
  6. ^ Scene from the koi show - All Japan Nishikigoi Promotion Association. All Japan Nishikigoi Promotion Association. jnpa.info/en/show/scene/. Retrieved November 2026.
  7. ^ S Legend – Koi Judges UK | The former BKKS JSC. Koi Judges UK. koijudges.uk/s-legend/. Retrieved November 2026.
  8. ^ Safely Managing Japan KHV Outbreak with New Processes and Technology at the Farm. Kodama Koi Farm (koi dealer). kodamakoifarm.com/managing-japan-khv-outbreak/. Retrieved November 2026.
  9. ^ 第65回新潟県錦鯉品評会が開催されました（11月8日・9日） - 小千谷市ホームページ. Ojiya City. city.ojiya.niigata.jp/soshiki/kikakuseisaku/nishikigoi202511.html. Retrieved November 2026.
  10. ^ Membership list - All Japan Nishikigoi Promotion Association. All Japan Nishikigoi Promotion Association. jnpa.info/en/about/member/. Retrieved November 2026.
  11. ^ History of Nishikigoi show - Shinkokai USA Official Website. Shinkokai USA (JNPA). shinkokaiusa.com/history-of-nishikigoi-show. Retrieved November 2026.
  12. ^ The National Koi Show | Where the UK's Finest Koi Compete. National Koi Show. nationalkoishow.co.uk/. Retrieved November 2026.
  13. ^ 49th Sydney Koi Show 2026 results (Sydney Koi Show). Sydney Koi Show. sydneykoishow.com/admin/photoresultsnew.toy?eid=206700. Retrieved November 2026.