Sanke sumi appears overlaid, on top of the Koi a final addition, if you like. On Showa sumi it emerges as if from within the Koi and it’s the Beni that appears overlaid as the final addition.
If you study the photos by starting off zoomed out, and slowly zooming in first on the Sanke, then on the inset Showa pic, you will start to see what we mean. Of course, there are some technical details that differentiate the two, that will of course highlight, but we’d urge you to focus initially on the above. Once you have your head around that basic principle, you ll find the rest so much easier to absorb, and more importantly understand!
Sumi
Despite the diversity of its presentation, the Sumi on Sanke is unique to Sanke. The size and thickness of the sumi vary massively. Unlike Beni, its qualities of elasticity are less, it’s also much more sensitive to temperature and UV. That’s why a Sanke (or Showa for that matter) when placed in clear water in a blue show VAT for example, often loses definition. This effect is caused by the contraction of the Sumi phage in response to the clarity and glare of its revised UV rich situation. A bit like us scrunching our eyes in response to sunshine, before we found our shades… in our Koi’s case, the more Sumi the bigger the impact, that’s why this affects Showa most.
Sanke Sumi phages also cluster more, and do so more densely. That’s what creates that inky, ebony gloss effect in the very best sumi. The depth and thickness of these high-quality sumi phages also result in enhanced stability. The defining factor differentiating Sanke sumi is its top coat location, or more accurately its placement, a final touch of magic that transforms a majestic Kohaku, into a sublime unique Sanke. Just like the final flourish brushstrokes of a Mashiko pottery master, finest quality sumi is the ultimate Nishikigoi Ta Daaaaa!
Pectoral Fins
The location and presentation of sumi is an important differentiating feature for Sanke, and location of sumi in the pectoral fins of Sanke is specific. Appearing striped or parts of stripes, as opposed to Motoguro, the block sumi found at the base, or knuckle of the pectoral fins on Showa. Unlike Showa sumi these stripes often come and go, and grow and shrink.
Sanke very often have white pectoral fins. In the best examples, this is beautiful and elegant, and absolutely not a demerit. Sanke don’t have to have Sumi stripes in their pectorals, it’s simply a variety characteristic.
Head
The shape of the head of a Sanke is unique. While sometimes very slightly elongated, the elongation is proportionate, and while sometimes appearing to offer a slightly pointed effect of Tosai and formative Koi. This physical attribute is specific, to specific Sanke bloodlines like Matsunosuke and Kichenai, and often indicates a propensity for significant growth and development, unlike Showa where this is more often an indication of less positive structural anomalies, that neither develop nor correct.
Our keyboard experts also tell us that Sanke can’t/shouldn’t have Sumi on the head. This is manifestly untrue. Not only do some of the most famous Sanke ever produced have sumi on their heads, so too do many other less accomplished but also beautiful Sanke. The difference is not the presence or not, but the presentation. Where present on the head of Sanke, Sumi has a tendency to be placed discreetly, isolated and individually placed. By contrast Showa head sumi is more pronounced, present and feature worthy. It even has a name – Menware.
Beni
We saved the most important element of Sanke for last. Sanke beni is an absolutely fascinating topic all of its own. Ranging from the subtlest and most elegant light orange made famous by legendary breeders, like the late great Ogawa from Kyushu, and Igarshi Kazuto from Mushigame, to Dainichi, Marudo, Matsunosuke, and latterly Shintaro, to the blistering bright persimmon red of Sanke from Sakai Hiroshima, and Ogata, to every shade imaginable in between.
While the colour is quite rightly entirely a matter of personal preference, the quality is absolutely not. Beni is a living, ever-changing element in our Koi. While it’s possible to nurture and develop the sumi in all our Koi, it’s infinitely easier to damage or destroy it. Correct feeding, keeping, and maintenance are non-negotiable. Overstocking and poor water quality are to be avoided at all costs, and relatively short term exposure to any negative environmental factor, can and often does have a defining and permanent impact on our Koi in general, and beni in particular. Of all the elements of the skin quality of our Koi, Beni is perhaps the most delicate, sensitive, and unforgiving. There are also stages of impact. From roughening of soft warm subtle beni rendering it much less desirable, and beautiful to total cell destruction and beni loss. While there’s anecdotal evidence of an increased propensity or purple based Beni to be negatively affected, it’s by no means restricted or limited to red-red as opposed to softer orange-red.
It’s important to consider that there are many ranges of Beni quality, and realistically distinguishing them is a myth shrouded topic, much more the realm of professional Koi breeders to humble Koi dealers, there are some clues. We’ve already learned that high-quality Beni is thicker, denser and has enhanced qualities of elasticity. So while we might not be able to distinguish these,we can look for the consequences as they’re manifested in our Koi, and that detail translates into the consistency of appearance. So whatever your colour preference, Beni with a more consistent appearance, is also more desirable and stable.
The Whole Package
While it’s interesting and important to learn about, and understand individual elements that contribute to the overall appearance of our Koi, whatever their variety, it’s the overall appearance, impression, and quality, that these individual elements combine to offer, that ultimately defines them.
Don’t get too obsessed with varieties, bloodlines or even breeders. Remember even the breeder of the All Japan GC also produced literally millions of less accomplished Koi. In fact the bigger the breeder, the more utter crap they produce too. We’ll give the last word on this fascinating topic to perhaps the world’s finest Koi breeder.
The late very great Minoru Mano, founder of the Dainichi famous dynasty, was being quizzed by a non-Koi keeping journalist from Tokyo, about the seemingly massive and as he saw it “outrageous” price variation in his Koi. Mano san listened respectfully as the journalistic whippersnapper sarcastically droned on. After a moments reflection, he quietly whispered…
“There are Dainichi Koi… and there are Koi from Dainichi”
