Bekko (べっ甲 (Bekko))
Tortoiseshell pattern — black spots on a single-colour ground of white, red or yellow.
Bekko: Black (sumi) spots scattered over a white (Shiro Bekko), red (Aka Bekko) or yellow (Ki Bekko) ground; the head stays clear of black.
| Pattern (JAS-aligned) | Black (sumi) spots scattered over a white (Shiro Bekko), red (Aka Bekko) or yellow (Ki Bekko) ground; the head stays clear of black. |
|---|---|
| Colours | One ground colour plus black spots. Unlike Sanke, there is no second pattern colour. |
| How to tell it | Ground plus black speckles, with a clean head. If you see red AND black patterned together on white, think Sanke, not Bekko. |
The variety in Japanese koi culture
Bekko takes its name from bekko, tortoiseshell, and the comparison is exact: dark markings floating on a warm ground. Shiro Bekko is the form most often seen — black spots on white — and it is the variety beginners most often mix up with Sanke. The giveaway is the head and the palette: a Bekko head carries no black, and the body carries only one colour besides the black. In the JAS list Bekko stands as its own variety, valued for the spacing and quality of its spots rather than for pattern drama.
Keeping notes on this page are limited to generally published principles about the variety in Japan. This page gives no diagnosis, no treatment and no prescription for an individual pond or fish. For a fish that looks unwell, contact a veterinarian or your local fisheries office.
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.