The Showa is My Favorite
First
posted in the
Koi Blog
on March 17, 2005
The
Showa is my favorite koi variety. The challenge of picking out a tosai Showa that has promise is always an exciting activity for
me.
Will that sumi still become darker? And if does, is there a risk
that the black will overwhelm the red and white around it? Will
those adjacent hi patches ever become fully separated by the
trace of shiro between them? Will the menware become even more
distinct? Will the motoguro develop excellently, if it develops
at all?
Such are the questions I invariably find myself mumbling
whenever I face a vat containing Showa tosai. Somehow, there is
never a perfect Showa in the vat. I therefore need to balance
the strengths and weaknesses of each individual to come up with
the short list for which I am willing to spend.
A big fan of the Showa that I am, it is unfortunate that I’ve
lost more of them than any other varieties in my pond. Indeed,
you only lose your favorite koi. Sometimes I’m beginning to
think that the beautiful Showa is inherently weaker than other
koi types.
Kindai Showa, or modern Showa, has become more popular in recent
years. Kindai Showa has less sumi distributed over the body in
comparison to traditional Showa. Truth to tell, I like the
old-style Showa better. Having more black distinguishes the
Showa from the Sanke and makes its presence more commanding in
the pond.
Showa koi have been difficult to find in Manila these past few
months. Hopefully I’ll come across one again in the near future.
It would be nice to have one more Showa in my pond.
Figure 1. A Kindai Showa (left) and
an Old-Style Showa (right)
Photos' sources:
www.koi.com;
www.keirinponds.com
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