The Beauty of the New Era is Oogoke.
“Aragoke Koi” play with scales (Part 1)
The variety adorned with rough scales, known as “aragoke,” is particularly divisive among koi enthusiasts. Generally, it tends to be excluded through selection, but in recent years, it has increased popularity as a fresh perspective on beauty, especially in Niigata. This became particularly evident at the 53rd All Japan Combined Nishikigoi Show held this year. The “Kouryu” variety, bred by AO Aokiya Ltd in Ojiya City, received victory high praise. It could be considered the dawn of a new era for Nishikigoi.
I interviewed three breeders creating Aragokegoi as a single variety, not a byproduct.
In the first part, we will introduce the Ikarashi koi farm in Nagaoka City. The second part is AO Aokiya Ltd in Ojiya and Maruzen Kobayashiba in Uonuma City.
Interview with Toshinobu Ikarashi from Ikarashi koi farm
“Godzilla” was born. Pay attention, aragoke.
— In Niigata Prefecture, when asked about Kawarigoi with aragoke, most breeders would answer with Ikarashi, renowned for it at the Ikarashi Koi Farm. In the previous interview in the July 2021 issue, we briefly mentioned the breeding of Aragoke, but could you please provide more details on how you started this initiative?
Ikarashi: Most of the production has been Gosanke in my father’s generation, and the leading markets have been Southeast Asia and China. However, over time, the purchasing preferences in China have gradually shifted, such as a growing demand for two years old. The “Gosanke” is known for using old bloodlines to produce koi that grow large and live longer. So, the perception was that they do not look as stunning at two years old. At around four or five years old, koi tend to grow significantly, and in the case of Gosanke, they start showing the essential sumi around that time. So, when they’re just two years old, it is challenging to sell them because they have yet to reach their full potential. In addition, considering China’s export restrictions, I should create koi that appeal to customers in Europe and other regions. I am also fascinated with Doitsukawarimono, particularly those associated with Ochiba or MetallicOchiba from Kase (Koshiji Koi Farm), so I began creating these varieties.
— Did you intend to focus on creating large scales from the beginning?
Ikarashi: I didn’t have much specific focus on it, but since I’ve always been involved in breeding larger koi, I thought if I were going to create something, it should be a unique koi that would grow larger. So, I decided to get good parents koi.
— Did you start creating Kawarigoi koi when you took over the business from your father?
Ikarashi: Yes, that’s right. It was about 9 or 10 years ago. At the time, I became the youth leader of the Nagaoka City Nishikigoi Breeding Associations. With increased opportunities to engage with the general public to promote Nishikigoi, I contemplated how to present the koi to bring joy to people. The Gosanke can be surprisingly dull when viewed from the side in a tank because they are typically designed to be seen from above. For instance, even if you place a Maruten Yondan in the tank, only half is visible. And, when I put various types of Kawarigoi into the pond, aragoke on the lateral line really stood out. Additionally, when illuminated with LED lighting, the ambience changed, which made me realize the potential and fascination of aragoke. That’s when I started to delve into it seriously.
— I have an impression many Aragokegoi bred by Ikarashi is with ginrin.
Ikarashi: As expected, having Ginrin makes it flashier, and with regular silver scales, they tend to become solid silver towards the lower part of the lateral line, making them less noticeable. But with aragoke, I thought it would shine even more. I used a second-generation male from DoitsuMetallicOchiba crossed with a female from GinrinOchiba (with scales). Although the occurrence rate was low, I produced aragoke with silver scales. I raised them in mud ponds and put them up for sale. People from Europe and the United States showed interest, especially in the Ginrin along the back fin, which they called “Diamond back.” They happily took them home.
— How did the iconic Aragokegoi “Godzilla,” representing Ikarashi Koi Farm, known for its distinctive ginrin, come into being?
Ikarashi: I didn’t intentionally create this; it formed accidentally or came about as a byproduct. As a process of breeding ginringoi with scales, there are various lineages, some exhibiting ginrin on the surface while others manifest it internally. When attempting to represent ginrin in aragoke, it was found that surface silver appeared blurry. Thus, when considering which ginrin would be the best, it was concluded that ginrin with all elements would be ideal. I desired to create scales that shine on both the front and back, along the pattern of growth rings, and even incorporate the silver of diamonds. Although it may appear cluttered, the goal was to create something dazzling, long-lasting, and glittering.
“Gozilla” represents the Ikarashi Koi Farm.
