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How koi varieties are classified

By the koi.wiki editorial team · Updated

Nishikigoi (錦鯉) are said to number over 100 distinct varieties, though sources differ on an exact count[1][8]. The JNPA states there are over 140 varieties in total[5], and elsewhere references more than 150 as breeders continue developing new types[6]. For practical purposes — judging at koi shows and commercial classification — organizations group these varieties into a smaller number of formal categories.Several classification systems exist side by side. Zen Nippon Airinkai (ZNA) divides koi into 17 varieties for appreciation and show entry, with six additional categories for male koi over 50 cm[1][2]. In the United States, the American Koi Judges Association (AKJA) maintains its own list of show classifications that organizers may adapt locally[9].

ZNA's 17 varieties

Varieties 1 through 5 (Kohaku, Taisho Sanshoku, Showa Sanshoku, Utsurimono, and Kinginrin 1) are placed in Group 1 for ZNA's Zipangu Prize, while varieties 6 through 17 form Group 2[1][2].At the 59th ZNA International Koi Show, the full list ran: Kohaku, Taisho Sanshoku, Showa Sanshoku, Utsurimono, Kinginrin 1, Bekko, Asagi, Shusui, Koromo, Kawarimono, Goshiki, Hikarimono, Hikari Utsurimono, Kinginrin 2, Mujimono, Hikari Mujimono, and Tancho, followed by six extra male-only classes for koi 55 bu (about 55 cm) and larger[2]. A related American show document, used by ZNA America affiliates, lists a near-identical 18-category version (including a separate male class)[10].

JAS 0020: the Japanese Agricultural Standard

The JNPA describes this as the first time koi varieties received a unified, government-recognized definition, noting that previously there was no standardized classification[8][6].Each entry carries a numbered definition (for example, Hikari-muji, No. 2016 in the 2022 text, covers koi with no pattern and an all-over metallic shine)[11]. The standard notes that an individual fish may show the appearance characteristics of more than one variety, and which variety it is assigned to is left to the user of the standard[7].

Hikari-kawarigoi (光り変わり鯉), the 2026 JAS category

The revision also split what had previously been a single “Kawarigoi” definition into two separate entries: Hikari-kawarigoi for metallic, all-over-shining fish that do not fit any of the other named varieties, and a renumbered Kawarigoi for non-metallic fish that likewise fall outside the other categories[4].Under the revised standard, Hikari-kawarigoi (JAS No. 2008) is defined as koi that do not correspond to any of the other listed varieties and whose entire body shines[7]. The standard's notes give Beni Kikokuryu (紅輝黒竜) and Kogane Ochiba (こがね落葉) as examples of varieties within this group, while also stating that a variety treated as Hikari-kawarigoi at shows could in the future become independently recognized, following the earlier precedent of Kumonryu, which was split out of the general Kawarigoi category[7].

AKJA and regional show classes

Outside Japan, show organizers often adapt classification to local practice. The American Koi Judges Association (AKJA) recognizes classifications including Kohaku, Sanke, Showa, Utsurimono, GinRin, Doitsu, Tancho, Asagi/Shusui, Koromo/Goshiki, Bekko, Hikari Moyomono, Hikari Mujimono, Hikari Utsuri, Mujimono, Kawarigoi, and Longfin, while noting that show organizers have flexibility to adapt the structure, which should be communicated to the head judge beforehand[9].A koi dealer, Kodama Koi Farm, describes a comparable set of variety categories used at the shows it participates in: Asagi & Shusui, Hikarimono (subdivided into Hikarimoyo, Hikari Utsuri, and Hikari Muji), Hirenaga, Kawarimono (including Bekko), Kin Gin Rin, Kohaku, Koromo & Goshiki, Showa, Taisho Sanke, Tancho, and Utsurimono[12]. A 2026 regional show registration packet for the ZNA SoCal Koi Show illustrates further local adaptations, such as benching Doitsu koi within their scaled counterpart's category rather than a separate Doitsu class, and benching Gin Rin A entries within the Gosanke or A group[13].

Gosanke and other broad groupings

Across classification systems, certain broad groupings recur. Gosanke (御三家) refers collectively to Kohaku, Taisho Sanshoku, and Showa Sanshoku, described in a secondary source as the most notable category among koi varieties[14]. Kawarimono, also called kawarigoi, functions as a catch-all competition category for koi that do not fit any other named variety, and is noted as a category in which many newly developed varieties compete[14][15].Newer crossbred forms sit outside traditional groupings in some accounts: ghost koi, developed in the 1980s as a hybrid of wild carp and Ogon koi, and butterfly koi (also called longfin or dragon koi), developed around the same period as hybrids of koi with Asian carp, are considered by some commentators not to be true nishikigoi, according to a secondary source[16]. Such fish are generally absent from the ZNA and JAS lists above.

Why variety counts differ

Sources give different totals for the number of koi varieties because they are answering different questions. The JNPA separately states there are over 140 varieties in total, with new ones emerging almost every year in Niigata Prefecture, while shows categorize entries into the smaller, standardized set of 22[5]. Elsewhere the JNPA references more than 150 varieties as a result of ongoing breeder efforts[6]. ZNA, for its part, counts no less than a hundred varieties including pattern differences, but narrows these to 17 for show and appreciation purposes[1]. A secondary source similarly reports that ZNA classifies koi into 16 groups out of more than 100 varieties[14].

Common questions

How many koi varieties are there?
Estimates vary by source: the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries cites over 100 varieties[8], the JNPA states there are over 140[5] and elsewhere references more than 150[6], while ZNA describes no less than a hundred[1].
What is the difference between ZNA's and JAS's classification?
ZNA's system is a show-judging framework with 17 varieties plus extra male categories, developed by the Zen Nippon Airinkai organization[1][2], whereas JAS 0020 is a formal Japanese Agricultural Standard enacted by the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries that names 21 (now 22) varieties with legal, standardized definitions[3][4].
What is Hikari-kawarigoi?
Hikari-kawarigoi (光り変わり鯉) is a variety category added to JAS 0020 in a revision effective 30 September 2026, covering koi that do not fit any other defined variety and whose whole body shines; cited examples include Beni Kikokuryu and Kogane Ochiba[7][4].
Do all koi shows use the same classification?
No. Show organizers can adapt classification to local practice; the American Koi Judges Association's list is explicitly flexible for organizers[9], and a 2026 ZNA SoCal registration packet shows local variations such as benching Doitsu koi with their scaled counterparts[13].
What is Gosanke?
Gosanke refers to the grouping of Kohaku, Taisho Sanshoku, and Showa Sanshoku, described in a secondary source as the most notable category of koi variety[14].

References

  1. ^ Varieties of Nishikigoi | Zen Nippon Airinkai. Zen Nippon Airinkai. zna.jp/en/keep-nishikigoi/varieties-of-nishikigoi/. Retrieved November 2026.
  2. ^ 59th ZNA International Koi Show entry rules (ZNA). Zen Nippon Airinkai. zna.jp/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/59th-zna-koishow.pdf. Retrieved November 2026.
  3. ^ JAS 0020 enactment notice, 2022 (MAFF). Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (Japan). maff.go.jp/j/jas/jas_kikaku/attach/pdf/kokujikaisei-50.pdf. Retrieved November 2026.
  4. ^ JAS 0020 revision notice, 2026 (MAFF). Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (Japan). maff.go.jp/j/jas/jas_kikaku/attach/pdf/kokujikaisei-733.pdf. Retrieved November 2026.
  5. ^ Q&A - All Japan Nishikigoi Promotion Association. All Japan Nishikigoi Promotion Association. jnpa.info/en/qa/. Retrieved November 2026.
  6. ^ The Birth and History of Nishikigoi - All Japan Nishikigoi Promotion Association. All Japan Nishikigoi Promotion Association. jnpa.info/en/nishikigoi/history/. Retrieved November 2026.
  7. ^ JAS 0020 Nishikigoi. Vocabulary (MAFF) — Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (Japan). maff.go.jp/j/jas/jas_standard/attach/pdf/index-536.pdf. Retrieved November 2026.
  8. ^ 特集「年々、人気上昇中！ 錦鯉の魅力」：農林水産省. Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (Japan). maff.go.jp/j/pr/aff/2308/spe1_03.html. Retrieved November 2026.
  9. ^ AKJA Classifications – American Koi Judges Association (AKJA). American Koi Judges Association. akjajudges.com/akja_classifications/. Retrieved November 2026.
  10. ^ Koi classification (ZNA 2021), NMZNA 2026 show documents. nmzna.net. nmzna.net/2026%20Show%20Docs/NMZNA%202026%20Koi%20Classification%20…. Retrieved November 2026.
  11. ^ Hikari-muji - Variety - All Japan Nishikigoi Promotion Association. All Japan Nishikigoi Promotion Association. jnpa.info/en/nishikigoi/varieties/type/hikari-muji/. Retrieved November 2026.
  12. ^ Preparing for Koi Competition and Tips for Winning Koi Shows. Kodama Koi Farm (koi dealer). kodamakoifarm.com/koi-show-competition-tips-preparation/. Retrieved November 2026.
  13. ^ ZNA SoCal 50th Annual Koi Show exhibitor registration packet (2026). znasocal.org. znasocal.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/2026-entrant-registration-1…. Retrieved November 2026.
  14. ^ Koi (Wikipedia). Wikipedia. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Koi. Retrieved November 2026.
  15. ^ Kawarigoi - Variety - All Japan Nishikigoi Promotion Association. All Japan Nishikigoi Promotion Association. jnpa.info/en/nishikigoi/varieties/type/kawarigoi/. Retrieved November 2026.
  16. ^ Koi (Wikipedia). Wikipedia. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ghost_koi. Retrieved November 2026.