Telling Varieties Apart — Sanke vs Showa & More (見分け方)
The one-page key: how to separate the look-alike varieties — Sanke from Showa, Bekko from Sanke, Utsuri from both, and the type words Doitsu and Ginrin.
Telling Varieties Apart — Sanke vs Showa & More: A decision sequence rather than a pattern: ground colour first, then where the black sits, then scales.
| Pattern (JAS-aligned) | A decision sequence rather than a pattern: ground colour first, then where the black sits, then scales. |
|---|---|
| Colours | Work through ground, black placement, head and fins in order. |
| How to tell it | Start with the ground: white ground plus black spots suggests Sanke or Bekko; black ground suggests Showa or Utsuri. |
The variety in Japanese koi culture
Most variety confusion collapses into three questions, and this page walks them in order. First, what is the ground — white or black? Second, where does the black sit — as spots on white (Sanke), as a wrapping ground (Showa), as speckles on a single colour with a clean head (Bekko), or as a checkerboard with one bright colour (Utsuri)? Third, what do the scales do — full, Doitsu-bare, or Ginrin-sparkling? With those answers, the variety pages in this hub resolve almost every fish you will meet at a facility or a show, including the classic examination question of Sanke versus Showa.
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.