SHOWA
The name “Showa,” by itself conjures up a different response than any other fish, just by virtue of its pronunciation, “Show-wah.” Deriving its name and principal development from the period of the same historical era, it is of course no coincidence that Showa koi carry an impressive rank. The Showa Period of Japan from 1915 to 1980 is the most influential period of Japan’s history – not only industrially, politically and culturally, but for the Showa as well. The Showa, the last of the big three Gosanke to be developed, looks as it sounds: dynamic, powerful, dramatic and masculine. In my opinion, they saved the best for last!
I. DISCRIPTION AND CHARACTERSITICS
The Showa is principally a black fish with red and white markings. Because the black is submerged beneath the red and white, these colors are sometimes overcome or masked, making the ultimate colors displayed unpredictable. As the koi grows, the black may appear or disappear at random, especially during the first years of development. Depending on the genetics and the water environment, this black may continue to become stronger or become dormant, for up to 8 years. I remember once when buying a very nice Showa from a breeder, I asked him what he thought about the sumi (black) that was still undeveloped beneath the surface of the skin (Kage) and whether it would rise later. He replied, “ask the fish” and then, as a gesture, stomped the ground while he pleaded with it.
That's the gamble we all take with a Showa. The more certain we can be about the outcome, the more expensive the fish and a knowledgeable breeder will not sell a koi until he knows its value. Some production breeders will, those are the ones that sell off everything they have early on. They don't need cull as often or spend as much in upkeep. These breeders really don't believe they have anything worthwhile saving. The best breeders, and the ones that compete consistently at shows, know what they have and the price will always reflect that.
This capricious trait presents problems for the collector that shows his fish because judging a Showa is, as with any other type of koi, based upon what one sees now and not on its potential or what might appear later. A more developed (or “finished”) Showa may win when it is young, but after a few years, the black may shift and another Showa may prove to be the better fish.
One way to know for sure that a fish is a Showa, is to look inside its mouth to see if it is black. The red and white pattern will appear differently depending on how the black develops. For example, the black could appear over a broad red pattern, thus creating the illusion that all three colors are as desired. In theory, placement of all the colors should be equally balanced over the whole body, especially on the head portion, but in fact this is not as important as the whole appearance of the fish because, as always, it is quality first, not pattern.
Although the Showa is actually black, white is considered the “background”, because it is the catalyst that sets off the other colors and helps us appreciate them. The white should be lustrous and clean, with no shimis (black freckles). As with the Kohaku and the Sanke, the red should be thick, clear and develop intensity as your fish matures, especially among females. Again, bloodline and overall care dictate development of the red. Since the red does not tend to wander like the black, what you see is what you get!
Therefore, it is recommended that one look for a good Kohaku pattern at the onset when selecting a young Showa. The black should be ebony, shiny jet-black, or black lacquer, and not flat–– but with lustrous sheen, at least on some part of the body. Likewise with the white. The black should not overpower the fish, but should define the Showa, making it look powerful and dramatic. Please note that hada (white) is, generally, a by-product of a koi’s condition, so if the white is lustrous, the rest of the colors will be lustrous as well because white shows stress first. Ideally, all three colors should appear on the head, with a white break on the shoulders and between the tail and body. The motoguro, black located on the base of the pectoral fins, help define (frame) and set-off the pattern.
Now, I have described a very good quality fish and it should be emphasized that if a Showa of 4 to 8 years has all these distinct qualities, it is out of affordable reach from 90% of all serious collectors. Showas win in competition with most of these characteristics, not all of them. Selecting a fish is always a compromise and perfection is the ideal ––not a reality. These, after all, are living creatures and like us, they are flawed. Some are better than others at first, others improve with time. That is why, I think, and most breeders will agree, that the Showa is one of the greatest challenges. It is the slowest to develop and the hardest to predict. It is perhaps the defining fish for koi hobbyists. To appreciate the Showa and its full potential, one must learn to understand some of its more subtle Japanese or Asian attributes: patience, perseverance and acceptance. We can benefit from this by understanding more about our hobby, how it developed and more importantly, what it has to offer us.
II. HISTORY
The Showa made its first recorded appearance in the community of Imoaka, during the end of the Taisho Era, around 1915. A breeder named Yogobei first recognized and isolated the distinct Taisho Sanke characteristics now associated with the Showa in Uiya, the principal hamlet of Imoaka. Although this line eventually died off, these characteristics were absorbed in the local gene pool of other breeders and collectors.
The Showa, as with many great discoveries, did not develop overnight, nor at one specific time or exact place. Like the automobile, television and airplane, the inventors (in this case, the breeders) worked concurrently in different locations borrowing ideas from each other. What Yogobei contributed to Nishikigoi stimulated the imagination and interest of the farmers and breeders of Yamakoshimura village.
One of the most important architects in the Showa’s evolution, was a fabric maker from the village of Tochio, just 30 kilometers from Ojiya (as crows fly). Although not wealthy, Kobayashi was a koi hobbyist of far better means than most of his fellow villagers. Influenced by the breeders around him, he became captivated with the vision of producing a better Showa.
During the Sanjumen Period, in or about 1954, Kobayashi began his own breeding program by using his pervasive powers to convince Izumia of Yamakoshimura to sell him his very best male Kohaku. Originally from the Tomoin bloodline, this Yagozen bloodline was known for strong thick beni (red) and lustrous white sheen. He then purchased the famous Jintaro female, Momotaro, nicknamed after the doll Momotarosan and renowned for her size, conformation, sheen and blue sumi.
From this spawn, he selected two male Showa Sanke to cross with the Yoashiuichi bloodline. Yoashiuichi, a breeder from the village of Akatani (near Tochio), was known for producing a long slender Showa with kage sumi and excellent white sheen. Kobayashi was able to acquire Yoashiuichi’s entire stock in another agreement and it was in this final breeding that the forerunner of today’s Showa was produced.
Kobayahi’s efforts produced a Showa with strong, thick bright red, deep inky black, and lustrous white. The distinction between the old style Showa with more black and the new style Kindai Showa with more white, was made later and has more to do with a breeders’ own style (i.e. Suzuki, Dainichi, Sekiguchi, Matsunoosuke, etc.) and eventually became absorbed into the local gene pool of other breeders and collectors.
One interesting side issue is that Kobayashi sold his fish only to hobbyists and not breeders! Among the older breeders we spoke to, this earned him, at most, indifferent respect. He prevented the very same community he convinced to help him (by selling their bloodlines), from using the results they helped to create. Whether it is limited to when they can, or when they want, breeders generally believe they should share the results of their breeding efforts by selling to each another. This is why so many breeders have Dainichi and Matsunosuke bloodlines today. Needless to say, scientific research now tells us that this practice of breeding out not only enhances the community gene pool, by continuously improving the positive attributes, but it helps in preventing the inbreeding of negative characteristics as well. To an outsider, this expectation may seem a little strange, but this close knit society of farmers has always depended on one another for survival and believe breeding better nishikigoi is still a community effort.
In a way, because of this, it ended sadly for Kobayashi. After suffering from a stroke, his children, having no interest in koi, sold off all his fish and closed the facility. Ironically, when he passed away in 1980, the legacy of his Showa was left in the hands of the breeders he did not want to share with. The breeders of Ojiya, with dogged determination, searched throughout Japan to locate and return the Kobayashi bloodline to the rightful community from whence it came.
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