Yamato Nishiki

What To Look For With Yamato Nishiki Koi

Generally, the guidelines for Yamato Nishiki follow the same guidelines for Sanke.  A clean, solid white base is preferred, with no flaws or blemishes marring the base color.

The black patterns should be spaced evenly about the body, and should not be confined to only one side or one end of the body.  The black patterns should be solid and consistent, with no windows of orange or white showing through in the middle.

The matte red in Sanke is generally replaced by a bright orange color in Yamato Nishiki.  This orange color should be of the same tone and hue across the entire body, and should accent the black patterns.  Additionally, the orange should stop around the eyes, and should not extend all the way down the head to cover the nose.

Although these are the guidelines for a high quality Yamato Nishiki, it can be quite difficult to find one that meets these high standards, as Yamato Nishiki are quite rare.