Showa Koi for Sale

Quick answer: A Showa is a Japanese koi with a black base and red and white patterns over it, with black on its head and at the base of its front fins. It is one of the Gosanke, the “Big Three” koi varieties, along with Kohaku and Sanke. At Toyoma Koi, hand-selected Japanese Showa cost $1,500 to $4,800, and most sell for about $2,500.

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Showa (SHOW-wah) is short for Showa Sanshoku, which means “three colors of the Showa era.” A Showa has a black base, called sumi, with red (hi) and white (shiroji) patterns laid over it.

The first Showa were bred in Japan in 1927, early in the Showa era (1926–1989). Where a Sanke is a white koi with black accents, a Showa is a black koi with red and white on top. That gives it a bold, dramatic look. Along with Kohaku and Sanke, it is one of the Gosanke, the three varieties that win most major koi shows.

Showa come in more styles than almost any other variety. These are the names you’ll see most often:

• Kindai Showa: the “modern” Showa, with much more white and a lighter, cleaner look. It is the most popular style today.
• Traditional Showa: heavier black with less white, closer to the original Showa of the 1920s.
• Hi Showa: a Showa with mostly red over the black, and little white.
• Tancho Showa: a single round red spot on the head, with black and white on the body.
• Maruten Showa: a separate round red spot on the head, plus red on the body.
• Doitsu Showa: a Showa with few or no scales, which makes its colors look especially bold.
• Ginrin Showa: a Showa with sparkling, reflective scales.
• Kin Showa: a metallic Showa with a gold sheen.

On a Showa, the black is the foundation, so judge it first. Look for:

• Bold, wrapping black. The sumi should be deep and glossy and wrap around the body in large, confident bands, not sit in small spots.
• Black on the head. A black marking that splits the head, often in a lightning or “V” shape (called menware), is a classic Showa trait.
• Black at the base of the front fins. Called motoguro, this is one of the best ways to tell a Showa from a Sanke.
• Deep, even red. The hi should be one strong, consistent shade.
• Balance of all three colors. Black, red and white should work together across the whole body, with no one color overwhelming the others (unless it’s a Hi Showa or Kindai Showa by design).
• Body. A full, even body shape signals good genetics and growth potential.

A young Showa’s black is often grayish or blue and comes in over several years. Breeders and experienced buyers pay for the potential they see in that developing black, which is why a young Showa can sometimes cost more than an older one.

With Showa, quality and future potential matter as much as size. Here’s what our Japanese Showa cost (October 2026):

• 18″ to 20″ (2 years): $2,000 to $2,800, typically about $2,500
• 21″ to 23″ (3 years): $1,500 to $2,500, typically about $1,500
• 27″ Ginrin Showa (4 years): $4,800

Overall, our Showa range from $1,500 to $4,800, with most selling for about $2,500. For prices across every variety, see our koi price guide.

All three Gosanke varieties have red and white. A Kohaku has no black at all. A Sanke is a white koi with small black accents on its body and usually none on its head. A Showa is a black koi with red and white over it: its black wraps around the body, reaches onto the head, and darkens the base of its front fins. If you see black on the head and at the base of the front fins, it’s almost certainly a Showa. Compare them yourself: shop Kohaku or Sanke koi for sale, or see all the varieties in our guide to types of koi.

Toyoma Koi has imported koi from Japan since 1975. Every Showa we sell is hand-selected from Japanese breeders. You can buy a Showa at a fixed price or bid on one in our online koi auctions.

We ship within the continental United States and send you an exact shipping quote once your koi is packed and ready to travel. Local pickup in Tustin, California is always free. See how shipping works.