Gengiro

Genjiro Koi Farm, based in Kawaguchi, Nagaoka (Niigata Prefecture), is a historic and highly respected breeder now in its fourth generation, led by Takashi Kobayashi. With deep roots in Nishikigoi history, the farm is celebrated for preserving some of Japan’s most important and original bloodlines, making Genjiro a name synonymous with tradition, purity, and beauty.

The farm’s greatest legacy lies in its contribution to the development of Kohaku. Genjiro played a pivotal role in establishing two of the most influential lines in Nishikigoi history: the Sensuke and Tomoin Kohaku. Alongside Kohaku, the farm is renowned for maintaining the rare and highly respected Sadazo Sanke bloodline – one of the three great Sanke lines – which the Kobayashi family has preserved in its pure form for more than 36 years. Unlike many breeders who cross bloodlines to favour rapid growth or show-winning size, Genjiro prioritises aesthetic excellence, producing koi with deep, long-lasting hi (red) and lustrous, stable sumi (black).

Genjiro also breeds a number of Hikarimono varieties, including Kujyaku, Matsuba, and Yamabuki Ogon – with Takashi’s father, Hirokichi, credited with stabilising the Yamabuki variety that remains a favourite around the world.

Each year, the farm spawns around 600,000 fry from just two carefully selected breeding pairs. Through an intense process of selection and culling, this number is reduced to roughly 2,000 koi of the highest quality, of which around 1,000 are exported worldwide. This rigorous process reflects Genjiro’s philosophy of breeding for quality rather than volume – ensuring every koi carries the farm’s unmistakable hallmark of refinement.

For collectors and enthusiasts, koi from Genjiro Koi Farm represent a direct link to the foundations of Nishikigoi breeding. Whether it is the elegance of their Kohaku, the purity of their Sadazo Sanke, or the metallic brilliance of their Hikarimono, Genjiro koi embody a heritage of craftsmanship and dedication that has stood the test of time.