1. Nishikigoi – Living
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2. Nishikigoi – Living
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Nishikigoi
Living Jewels

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Agenda
1. Historical Background
2. Origin of the name Nishikigoi
3. Different Varieties of Nishikigoi
4. Nishikigoi Characteristics
5. Breeding of Nishikigoi
6. How to hold a Nishikigoi
7. Famous Japanese Nishikigoi Breeders
8. Famous German Nishikigoi Importers
9. Marketing for Nishikigoi
10. Examples for Marketing Actions
11. Risks and Future Trends

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Historical Background
1. China
533 B.C.: King Shoko of Ro presented a beautiful Koi to Confucius' son
 Koi as main subject in Chinese artwork and carvings

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Historical Background
2. Japan
Niigata Prefecture as birthplace of Koi breeding

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Historical Background
Ojiya City in Niigata is regarded as the home of Nishikigoi
The residents built “rice terraces” to grow rice
and vegetables
Koi were raised in preserve ponds as a food
staple for the long winter months

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These Koi mutated and Koi with different colours and
patterns were swimming among the black Koi
 Breeding of more beautiful and unique Koi
Kohaku

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1914: National interest for Koi in Japan when Emperor Hirohito
presented his Koi in the Imperial Palace moat
 Creation of plastic bags in the 1960's: Reliable transport
 More than 100 different colour types and sub-types of Koi

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Origin of the name Nishikigoi
At a Koishow in Takesawa Village, the Director of the Fisheries Agency of
Niigata saw very colourful Koi
“This is a true Nishikigoi!”
”Nishiki” is a silk fabric woven with gold. It is used to describe beautiful
and elegant things.
Nishikigoi is an elegant Koi

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Nishikigoi Characteristics
Body Markings
Straight Hi Inazuma
Nidan Sandan
Yondan Godan

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Nishikigoi Characteristics
Head Markings
Kuchibeni Maruten
Menkaburi Tancho

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Nishikigoi Judging Criteria
1. Body Conformation
2. Color
3. Pattern
4. Quality

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Superlatives
1. Oldest Koi
Higoi named “Hanako”
Lived for 226 years
Average lifespan: 70 years

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Superlatives
2. Largest Koi
Chagoi
153 cm and 45 kg
Average size: 90 cm - 100 cm

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How to hold a Nishikigoi
Ponds
- Size
- Water quality / filter
- Heating
 Average costs for a luxury Koi pond and equipment: 50,000 €
Food
Mistakes which may lead to illnesses

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Famous Japanese Nishikigoi Breeders
MIYAISHI KOI FARM
Isa Koi Farm
Dainichi Koi Farm
Igarashi Koi Farm
Marusaka Koi Farm

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Example for a Japanese Koi Breeder
MIYAISHI KOI FARM Co. Ltd, Japan
History
Corporate evolution
Business objective
Offer

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Famous German Nishikigoi Importers
BB Aquatics
Genki Nishikigoi
Arnhem-Koi-Paleis
Exos-Locius
Fisherman Großhandel

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Marketing for Nishikigoi
Classical definition: The „4 Ps“
Product
Price
Placement
Promotion
 Interview with Stephan Schubert, professional Nishikigoi dealer in Germany

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Marketing - Product
Two target groups
1. Hobby garden pond owner who buys his Koi dependent on its price
2. Upper class people with high income. Choice dependent on colour
sample. High demand for “Japan Koi”
In general, men at the age between 20 and 50
Huge demand in Japan, Germany and the Netherlands
Many customers like to stay anonymous
 Home country: Japan, but also from Israel, Singapore, South Africa,
Thailand and Malaysia
 About 130 different breeding forms
 Animal as a luxury good:
Typical luxury good “Japan Koi”

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Marketing - Price
Depends on various factors
Japanese exporter; many different breeders and wholesalers
Way of import; varies with the airline and the flight time
Amount of imported fishes in a single box; less Koi means more expensive
Way of animal husbandry; more Koi in a pond is cheaper
Quality of feeding
Health care
Bloodline of his family
Colour sample and size
 Cheapest Koi with a size of 6-8 cm: 4-6 €, “Mastige” product
 Expensive Koi: 35,000 € dependant on colour sample, usually “Japan Koi”
 Most expensive Koi: US $ 500,000

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Marketing - Placement
 From a Japanese pond to the customer
Two typical distribution channels
Direct sale at a Koi dealer
1. The client orders directly by seeing the Koi or selecting the Koi from a
list, today even possible to buy Koi in a building centre
2. Journey with a Koi dealer to Japan or Thailand in order to buy the fish
from its “original” pond
 Import process: The Koi is transported in a box via airplane, customer has
to pay carriage, high safety precautions
Internet „online“ sale
The client orders by only seeing pictures
 Less reliable, because one can not judge the
health state of a Koi
 Colour sample on a photo could
vary from the real one

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Marketing - Promotion
Sales promotion
Only usual in Japan, e.g. raffles, ponds in restaurants

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Marketing - Promotion
Classical advertising
Newspaper ads and flyers at events
In Japan: TV spots and news
Personal sale
High importance of consumer’s trust in the salesman
Direct promotion
Posters and models are used to demonstrate a high rank of competence
PR
Koi & Celebrities
Events
International fairs, championships & Koi voyages

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Marketing - Promotion
Product placement
Movie “The fisher and his wife”, 2004

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Marketing - Promotion
Sponsoring
Only usual in Japan: Sponsoring of championship awards by all
kinds of companies
The new media
It is regarded as being wise to buy a Koi in a professional store to avoid
differences in terms of colour etc. but a lot of e-marketing is used to address
the potential client

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Examples for Marketing Actions
Koi & Celebrities
 Playboy Mansion West in L.A.: Stone bridge leading to
the pond, roughly 20,000 gallon
 Pamela Anderson: Publicity problem  Wants to place
her son's placenta in the pond
 Ellen DeGeneres
 Robin Leach

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Examples for Marketing Actions
 Largest percentage found in the music business
Freddie Mercury:
Mick Jagger: Spend thousands on Koi,
Villa Mustique after his death he left a Koi
collection worth £ 10,000
each

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Examples for Marketing Actions
 Largest percentage found in the music business
George Harrison: Frank Sinatra Joey Kramer
Special love for Koi &
goldfish, location of the
pond is a secret

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Examples for Marketing Actions
Exhibitions and Shows
In general:
 Number of visitors increasing
 Number of exhibitors decreasing: In Germany minus 40%
 Organisers often provide seminars
 Opportunity to demonstrate the quality & beauty of the Koi
 Divided into classes

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Examples for Marketing Actions
Exhibitions and Shows in Europe
EXPO Hannover:
- Each night the pond was a major attraction as the scene for an
experimental theatre event
- Interaction between nature & humans
BKKS England – Kent Koishow 2005

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Examples for Marketing Actions
Exhibitions and Shows in Europe
Holland Koishow:
- The world's biggest Koishow in Arcen
Interkoi in Germany

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Interkoi
 Biggest European hall Koi show near Bielefeld, Germany
 European Koi championships
 94 ponds, 696 registered Koi in 2006
 More than 200 trophies, but only 9 “important” trophies
 Not only Nishikigoi championships, but also Bonsai challenge, shows etc.

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Interkoi
visitors
12.000
10.000
8.000
6.000
4.000
2.000
0
2002 2003 2004 2005
year

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Interkoi
number of exhibitors
70
60
50
40
30
20
10
0
2002 2003 2004 2005

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Nishikigoi Champions
European Grand Champion Jumbo Champion
Supreme Champion Adult Champion

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Examples for Marketing Actions
Exhibitions and Shows worldwide
Koi America:
- In Washington D.C.
Taiwan Koishow:
- In Taipei
- Held by Nishikigoi Keepers Society of China
- In 2005: 65 Koi were entered in competition

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Risks
Boom in the Koi industry  High demand for Koi
 Breeding of Koi in small ponds
 Shortage of space leads to adoption of medical and chemical products
 Stress during the transport
 Injury of the sensitive mucous membrane
 Wrong handling  Affection with parasites
KHV: Koi Herpes Virus disease
 May cause significant morbidity and mortality
 There is no known treatment for KHV
 Fish may develop a natural resistance following viral exposure if water
temperature is increased to 30°C
Counteractive measures:
 Disinfection of all materials and systems that have contacted the infected fish
 Depopulation
 Leads to high deficits for Koi dealers and breeders

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Future Trends
Koi considered as financial investment
 Dependence on economic situation
 Decreasing demand for Koi in Germany
Koi considered as new luxury domestic animal
Koi as status symbol in society
Breeding of Tancho Showa as most popular
variety

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