The farm is run by Haruo and Motoyoshi Aoki in Ojiya-city, Niigata. Their special ability to breed new, mainly metallic, varieties particularly Kikokuryu, has taken the industry by storm.

Varieties produced include:
Goshiki, Doitsu Goshiki, Kikusui, Yamatonishiki, Doitsu Kohaku, Doitsu Sanke, Doitsu Hariwaki, Kujaku, Kawarimono and others.

Initially Setaro Hirasawa was part of the family Koi dealership business. In 1954 he decided to start to breed Sanke, and in 1955 added Ogon varieties as well.

In 1988, realising that the overseas markets were opening up, Hirasawa recognised that there were great opportunities for farms that could produce as many varieties as possible. This led to expansion of the farm to its current size.

They breed from around 50 pairings each year. The farm now has in the region of 42 hectares of farmed water and is the largest in Niigata. The largest lake – some 16 hectares – contains around 4,000 Yonsai (4 year fish).

Hirasawa Ogon can reach over a metre in length, and their strains are the only ones that can trace their lineage back to the 1950.

Varieties produced include:
Go-Sanke, Ogon and Chagoi.

The Hiroi Family split ownership of the farm three ways. There is constant competition between them to produce the best koi. Yasugi Hiroi spends his spring and summer in Niigata where the fish are bred, and winters in Isawa where the family over-winter their fish.

They began breeding go-sanke varieties, but later moved to metallic varieties, and have developed their own strain of Goshiki.

Varieties produced include:
Gin Rin Showa, Doitsu Sanke, Goshiki, Shiro Utsuri and Hikarimono.

The history of the Hoshikin Koi farm goes back over 70 years, beginning with grandfather Kinsaku Hoshino who bred Kohaku, using the Tomoin strain, which they have stayed faithful to, and continues to the present day.

Kinsaka passed on his knowledge to his son Katsushige, and the farm is now in the hands of his son Katsuyuki.

The farm specialises in Kohaku, and their philosophy is “if the white is right, then the red will turn out right as well”. Hoshikin Kohaku can reach sizes in excess of 85cms.

Varieties produced include:
Mainly Kohaku, with some Sanke and some Showa.

Each Niigata breeder has strong characters and their own unique policy. Some breeders pursue the beauty of Nishikigoi with an emphasis on Gosanke (Kohaku, Taisho Sanshoku (Sanke) and Showa), while some are always challenging to create a new variety. The breeders at Koshiji Koi Farm commit to creating a wide variety of Koi, and their ponds are always filled with colour. Kase worked very closely with another breeder Mr Aoki, resulting in an exchange of fish between their facilities.

It was their aim to create a completely new Koi that drove Kiyoshi Kase to create Ginga and Beni kumonryu, varieties for which they are famous, and play a significant role in stabilizing new varieties.

Varieties produced include:
Doitsu Sanke, Doitsu Showa, Yamatonishki, Kikokuryu and Beni Kumonryu.

Specialists in Showa and Shiro Utsuri.

The Farm was established in 2016, by Hirasawa Hidemasa, after an apprenticeship with the famous Isa Koi Farm.

Don’t let his young age fool you though, he has already taken prizes at the All Japan Show.
They specialise in Doitsu Go-Sanke varieties,

Varieties produced include:
Kohaku, Doitsu Kohaku, Doitsu Sanke and Doitsu Showa.

A farm that is always interesting to visit and a producer of some amazing non-gosanke. Beni Kikokuryu are one of the leading varieties at the farm right now. Although Marusaka is renowned for Hikarimoyo, in Japan the farm’s reputation was actually built on Sanke.

Varieties produced include:
Hariwake, Kikusui, Kujaku, Sanke, Beni Kikokuryu and Doitsu Kohaku.

The farm is now run by Mr. Shosaku Ikarashi, who has over 30 years experience as a breeder and is very famous in Niigata. His Shiro Utsuri have taken prizes in the All Japan Nishikigoi Show and are subsequently particularly popular with Koi fans.

Varieties produced include:
Taisho Sanshoku (Sadazo-line Marusho Sanke), Ginrin Sanke, Ginrin Showa, Doitsu Sanke, Doitsu Showa, Beni Kumonryu, Shusui, Kujaku & Shiro Utsuri

The Nishikigoi Niigata Direct (NND) outlet was originally formed some years ago by Fujio Oomo owner of Oomo Koi farm, Makoto Tanaka from Marusho Koi farm and Yasuaki Kaneko from Kaneko Koi farm.

It is now a joint co-operation between Marusho, Oomo & Kobayashi Koi Farms. Together they are now amongst the biggest breeders of Koi in Niigata and have a constantly evolving range of varieties available.

Varieties produced include:
Sanke, Shiro Utsuri, Yamabuki, Showa, Kohaku, Doitsu varieties and Kawarimono

Oofuchi, like Sakai, learned about Koi breeding from Toraichi Miyatora, who was the leading breeder in Niigata during the 1960’s.

The renowned Oofuchi Kujaku strain has its origins in a pairing between a Kujaku male and a Goshiki female. By the end of the 1980’s he was winning prizes, and by 1996 won Kokugyo best in variety.

Varieties produced include:
Kujaku, Koromo, Shiro Utsuri, Kin Showa and Kin Utsuri.

Oomo Koi Farm, a part of Nishikigoi Niigata Direct, have concentrated on breeding Showa, for over 20 years.

They began by pairing with female Takeda Showa from Hiroshima, with male parents from Dainichi Showa. This combination has been used for many years and produces many high-quality offspring.

Varieties produced include:

The farm was begun in the early 1960’s by Tetsutaro Kataoka straight after leaving school. He was very successful breeding go-sanke, and the name was changed to Oya Koi Farm in the early 1970’s.

Now run by Tetsutaru’s eldest son Taro Kataoka, they are now one of the leading breeders in Japan. Oya Sanke have won many top awards at the All Japan Nishikigoi Show.

They are also famous for their prize winning asagi, which have superb beni, excellent scale reticulation, and clear heads.

Varieties produced include:
Sanke, Kohaku, Showa, Asagi, Hikarimono and Kawarimono

The farm was set up over 20 years ago. It is run by Hoshino Tsuyoshi, and is renowned for high quality Hikarimono, especially Gin Matsuba, as well as go-sanke.

Varieties produced include:
Kohaku, Showa, Hariwake, Sanke, Gin Matsuba and Shusui.

Sakai Fish Farm began breeding Shiro Utsuri in 1975, and they followed that in 1980 by breeding two Kohaku females of the Sensuke strain.

The origin of the current Sakai sanke strain dates back only around 35 years. In the 1980 they matched two Sensuke female Kohaku with a Dianichi male. Their current Sanke strain goes back only to the 1990’s when they bought an 85cm sanke female and paired it with males from the Marudo Koi Farm.

In early 2000, Sakai won a Grand Champion title at the Shinkokai with a 6 year old from this strain, and went on to win a further 4 Grand Champion Awards at this show, were 5 times Grand Champion at Airinkai, and 4 times Grand Champion at the Japan Later Young Koi Show.
Many koi breeders have learned their trade at the Sakai Koi Farm.

Varieties produced include:
Kohaku, Sanke, Showa, Shiro Utsuri, Hi Utsuri, Kujaku, Kin Showa, Kujaku, Shusui, and Ochiba.

A long standing farm (since 1945) producing many varieties and most renowned for beautiful tosai and small nisai. Unlike the approach taken by other farms looking to produce jumbo Koi, Sakazume Yorijo focuses on beauty and quality over size.

His Showa derive from the Kobayashi strain and Yamatonishki from Aoki

Varieties produced include:
Kohaku, Showa, Yamabuki, Yamatonishiki, Hariwake and Kikusui.

It was in the early 1980’s that Yoshinori Tanaka began to breed Koi.

Initially he concentrated on Kohaku of the Sensuke strain, crossed with male fish of the Buheta strain, but considered the results unsatisfactory. So, in 1991 he began pairing Sensuke females with Murata males.

He began developing his Goshiki in 1991. He searched for a suitable pairing for years until he found a male at the Kuniyasu Koi Farm belonging to the Hiroi Family. This pairing resulted in the basis for his current Goshik.

His breeding stock for his Yamatonishki and Kikusui were from Aoki in 1997, and his Kujaku, derived from Marusaka females and Miyatori males, date back to 1999.

The Yoshinori Koi Farm, like many in Niigata is likely to go when Mr Tanaka goes. He is succeeded only by daughters.

Varieties produced include:
Goshiki, Yamatonishki, Kikusui, Sanke and Orenji Ogon.

The Yagenji brothers are very focused on accomplishing the visions and goals they have set for the coming years. With award winning Kikusui and a driving goal toward Shiro Utsuri they are becoming very consistent with quality not quantity in mind.

Varieties produced include:
Showa, Kohaku, Sanke, and Kikusui.