Shusui – Kawakami Koi Farm
Shusui is a doitsu Asagi. It has smooth sky-blue skin, a line of dark blue scales along the spine, and red along its sides.
Origin and history
Shusui ('autumn water') was created in 1910 by Kichigoro Akiyama, who crossed Asagi with German mirror carp (Doitsu). It was the first Doitsu variety and the founder of the doitsu koi. In shows it is judged with Asagi in the Asagi/Shusui class.
Color and pattern
The back is a smooth, clear blue with one even row of dark blue scales running from the head to the tail along the dorsal line, sometimes with a second row along the lateral line. Hi runs along the lower flanks, cheeks and fin bases, and sometimes rises toward the back. The head should be clean, pale blue-grey.
In your collection
Shusui and its relatives are some of the most visible koi in a pond. The smooth blue back and line of dorsal scales show clearly from above, and the hi glows along the sides. Check the dorsal scales carefully when choosing a fish, since straight, even rows are the hallmark of a good one.
What collectors look for
- Straight, even dorsal scales with no gaps or stray scales
- Clear sky-blue skin
- A clean head
- Symmetrical hi along both sides
