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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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