Kin Kikokuryu are a further variation of Kikokuryu, where metallic yellow, red or orange appears in combination with the metallic white and black.
Kin Kikokuryu was created in the late 1990’s by a Japanese breeder by the name of Mr. Seiki Igarashi. He first unveiled his new variety at the 2000 Nogyosai Koi Show (one of the three largest shows in Japan) where it made a huge splash in the koi world. Kin Kikokuryu highly resemble Doitsu Gin Matsuba. The difference comes in the presence of a third color (red, orange or yellow) and the fact that Kin Kikokuryu have an underlying black pattern that occurs across the entire body, even on the mouth, head and fins. The underlying body-wide sumi is absent in Doitsu Gin Matsuba, where the sumi appears only in the row of scales down the back. Many different shades of red, yellow or orange can appear in Kin Kikokuryu. Kikokuryu with a strong red pattern are often referred to as Beni Kikokuryu. Currently, no one color is preferred over the others. As with Kumonryu and Kikokuryu, the pattern of any single Kin Kikokuryu will change greatly over the course of growth to maturity. For this reason, much importance is placed on body conformation and the quality of the colors themselves (but not the pattern). When selecting young Kin Kikokuryu, make sure that there are no flaws or blemishes in the base sumi or the overlying metallic white. Select young koi with a good orange, yellow, or red pattern, as this color will change the least of all as the koi ages into maturity.What To Look For With Kin Kikokuryu Koi