Every autumn in Japan’s koi-breeding regions, the quiet mud ponds begin to come alive. Koi breeders—farmers in their own right—walk the mud-pond banks before sunrise, checking on their prized Nishikigoi and the condition of the ponds themselves.

In this interview with Manabu Ogata: Japanese Koi Master, we see why Japan, the birthplace of Nishikigoi, remains the center of excellence for the finest koi in the world.

This story is a data-driven project intended to present a clear picture of what Japan’s Global Exports of Nishikigoi looks like.

It's breeding season across the Koi Farms of Japan in late spring/early summer. Each breeder is pairing up his best females with the males