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MEET UTSURIMONO
Black Beauties: Utsurimono are black-based koi, and the family contains three versions, each with its own additional color: Shiro Utsuri with white, Hi Utsuri with red and Ki Utsuri with yellow. Out of the three varieties of Utsurimono, Ki Utsuri is the oldest. There is a record that says Ki Utsuri was born and sold for very high prices in 1899, but it was about 1920 when this variety was fixed. In 1924, Hi Utsuri and Shiro Utsuri were developed.
Why they are called “Utsurimono” - The term “utsuri” in “Utsuri mono” means “seethrough” or “reflection.” In the old days, when Ki Utsuri first came out, the ki (or yellow) looked like it was coming through the sumi, the ground color. This is why it was called Ki Utsuri. The “mono” of “Utsurimono” means “things.” So Utsurimono means a group of things (in this case, koi) that has utsuri characteristics.
COLOR
Unlike many koi fish varieties the Utsurimono only ever has two colors with the most popular being the black and white variation called a Shiro Utsurimono. The Shiro Uturimono is a charmingly simple koi variety with a base black color and white markings. Oddly for a koi with a black base color most seem to have more or equal amounts of white. There should not be too much black on either side of the koi in order to maintain a feeling of balance. The black should also be evenly distributed from head to fin so the fish does not appear to be top heavy. When it comes to the boarder where white touches black ideally the line will be clear with no black bleeding into the white, but this is sometimes acceptable to judges in small amount and certainly won't make you love this stunning variety of koi any less.
MARKINGS
There are four common head patterns found in Utsurimono's a black strip that resembles a lightning strike, two patches of black which are distinctly different, heavy black pattern separated by thinner white lines, and small black sections which leave most of the head white. When you begin to look at the body of an Utsurimono you find the black seems to wrap around the koi fish with white usually being the dominant color on the fish. The fins of an Utsurimono are usually white, but they often have black markings radiating from the body of the fish. These graceful and peaceful koi can easily charm their way into any koi parents heart with their charming markings.
If you are looking to add some balance to your pond an Utsurimono koi fish just might be the perfect choice for your pond. With the Utsurimono's simplistic coloring and symmetrical markings it is the perfect koi fish variety to keep your pond from becoming too chaotic with many colorful and eye catching koi fish.
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