When you peep at a Japanese pond, you’ll usually see lots of bright colored fishes swimming around. Their colors may vary - red, orange, yellow, white, and at times, black. These are what the Japanese call koi fishes.
Koi is the Japanese translation for carp. It may also mean ‘love’ in their language thus making the fish a symbol of love and friendship all throughout Japan. The fish also symbolizes success, prosperity, longevity, courage, ambition, and perseverance.
The breeding of these carps started in the Niigata Prefecture in Japan during the year 1800s. They started breeding carps with different colors and by the 20th century, a number of colored and patterned carps are known worldwide. The koi fish became so popular that it was one of the common but highly appreciated gift in Emperor Hirohito’s castle moat.
A koi fish can live for 25 years or longer. Some Japanese koi lovers claim that some of their fishes have been living for 100 years already because of their proper nurturing.
There are over 20 varieties of the koi which include the kohaku: white skinned with red markings, showa sanshoku: black skinned with red and white markings, asagi: light blue on the top and red on the bottom.
Today, koi fishes are bred to add beauty to ponds and gardens around Japan. But more than that, these fishes are well loved for being a symbol of peace and prosperity in Japan.
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