The World Nishikigoi Summit 2026
Updated: 3 hours ago
World Nishikigoi Summit: From 2022 to 2026
Bringing together international representatives, koi industry leaders and government officials to discuss the future of Nishikigoi.
What is The All Japan Nishikigoi Promotion Association
There are many in the Koi Industry, Nishikigoi, that may be unaware of the All Japan Nishikigoi Promotion Association and those who are familiar with the organization don't know what they do.
The All Japan Nishikigoi Promotion Association has its home in Ojiya, Niigata Prefecture. Established in January 1970 following the first All Japan Nishikigoi Show in Tokyo, 1968. Japanese Breeders and Dealers formed the organization also known as Shinkokai.
The main purpose of Shinkokai is to enlighten and popularize the culture of Nishkigoi, and to provide relevant information for the production, sale and breeding of Nishikigoi. In addition to Japan it also promotes koi culture to the world and holds reviews around the world. Shinkokai has also established a “Koi Breeder” system. Everyone who has obtained the qualification by becoming a Shinkokai member have a high degree of breeding technology, appreciation and are identified as excellent instructors who can be active in the front line for the popularization of Koi.
Formation of the World Nishikigoi Summit
In Niigata, under the leadership of current President Futoshi Mano, Shinkokai worked with the prefecture and the cities of Ojiya and Nagaoka to organize the World Nishikigoi Summit in 2022 and again in 2026.
The World Nishikigoi Summit was first held on November 6, 2022, at Toki Messe in Niigata City, Japan, bringing together approximately 150 participants, including ambassadors and diplomatic representatives from 21 countries, government officials, Nishikigoi breeders, industry representatives and researchers. Organized by Niigata Prefecture, the cities of Nagaoka and Ojiya, and the All Japan Nishikigoi Promotion Association (Shinkokai), the summit provided an international forum to discuss the history, cultural significance and growing worldwide appreciation of Nishikigoi. Discussions addressed international trade, the development of the koi industry, breeding standards, judging practices and opportunities for cultural exchange. The gathering concluded with the adoption of the Niigata Declaration on the Promotion of Nishikigoi, establishing a shared commitment among participating countries to support the industry's development while preserving the traditions and cultural heritage of Japan's ornamental carp.
Four years later, on November 8, 2026, the World Nishikigoi Summit returned to Toki Messe, welcoming approximately 180 participants, including diplomatic representatives from 18 countries, alongside government officials and members of the international Nishikigoi industry. Building upon the discussions of 2022, the second summit placed greater emphasis on the industry's future, particularly the importance of quality assurance, international standards, export development and maintaining confidence in Japanese-bred Nishikigoi. Panel discussions examined international consistency in koi variety classifications and judging standards, while representatives of Shinkokai proposed adding The Open designation to the All Japan Combined Nishikigoi Show to better communicate the exhibition's standing to an international audience. Beyond the commercial interests of the industry, the summit continued to recognize Nishikigoi as an important part of Japan's cultural heritage and a means of strengthening relationships between Japan and the growing community of koi enthusiasts around the world.
World Nishikigoi Summit Official Brochure in English
Key topics from the 2026 World Nishikigoi Summit
I want to make it clear that I was not in attendance at the 2026 World Nishikigoi Summit. This story was written by watching the over 5 hour live stream. A transcript was made of the live stream, to the best ability given the automated speech converter used by the organization. All effort was made to relisten and correct any language to the best of all abilities. If any errors have been made there was no intent to alter the language or meaning of the summit.
Following this summary is a downloadable file of the complete transcript in .pdf form
Niigata’s breeders and the international koi trade
The history and cultural value of Nishikigoi. Moderator Shunichi Yoshida recalled the keynote by Professor Yutaka Suga and Senichi Mano on the traditions and generations of work behind today’s industry.
The role of the All Japan Nishikigoi Promotion Association, or Shinkokai. Futoshi Mano described how the association brings together breeders, dealers and distributors to improve breeding techniques, organize shows and preserve Nishikigoi culture.
The autumn harvest at Dainichi Koi Farm. Mano used photographs from Ojiya to explain how breeders net koi from mud ponds, handle fish that can exceed a meter in length and move them into wintering houses before the heavy snow.
The people behind the trade. Overseas dealers spoke about learning from Japanese breeders, earning customers’ trust, supporting families and employees, and preparing the next generation to take over established businesses.
Breeding as an art. Panelists discussed how breeders develop new varieties through crossbreeding, how tastes in pattern and body shape change, and how a farm can retain its identity while responding to interest from overseas.
How koi markets differ by country
United States. Shawn McHenry of Mystic Koi described interest in unusual koi such as Aragoke alongside renewed enthusiasm among younger collectors for Gosanke, the traditional group comprising Kohaku, Sanke and Showa.
Hong Kong and mainland China. Ngai Man Fai of Harbour Koi described price-sensitive buyers, continued demand for exceptional fish and stronger competition from Chinese breeders. Livestream sales make prices easier to compare, and some dealers now bring photographers to Japanese auctions to help sell their purchases.
Thailand. Bavornsak Supaton of Koi Mart Farm spoke about the place of koi ponds in Thai homes, their association with good fortune, and the spread of dealers beyond Bangkok. Gosanke remain popular, while newer hobbyists are also drawn to unusual varieties.
Europe. Rob de Vos of Japan Koi Service described a market that values both traditional Gosanke and fish with distinctive colors or patterns. He also discussed the exporter’s role in educating new dealers and hobbyists.
Koi shows, judging and “The Open”
How shows sustain the hobby. A local show gives a beginner a place to enter an affordable koi, learn what judges look for and perhaps win a first award. Panelists connected that experience to the future of small breeders and the larger industry.
How countries organize shows. Examples included Thailand’s Princess Cup, sponsor-supported shows in China, American shows run by hobbyists and professionals, and European online competitions. Some Chinese owners leave koi in a Japanese breeder’s care, a practice called azukari, so the fish can grow and compete in Japan.
What overseas dealers asked of Japan. Requests included help funding American shows, educational materials about the origins of Japanese koi, continued access to Japanese judges, stronger overseas dealer networks and support for small and midsize breeders.
The proposal to add “The Open.” Shinkokai proposed retaining the name All Japan Combined Nishikigoi Showand adding “The Open,” drawing on golf’s championship as a model. The discussion also covered international ownership of entries and a possible congress on judging, show rules and trade practices.
The Niigata Declaration. Governor Hideyo Hanazumi revisited the commitments made at the first summit in 2022, including cultural exchange, greater transparency in trade, consistent standards for assessing quality and documenting bloodlines, and cooperation among countries.
Publishing, photography and social media
Specialist magazines and the European hobby. Johan Leurs of Koi Zanmai traced early imports of Japanese koi into Europe and the role of color photography in introducing readers to breeders and varieties. He emphasized the continuing need for reliable guidance on pond construction, filtration and water quality.
Reporting on koi responsibly. Steve Gibbins of 51.Life distinguished three audiences: people discovering koi, beginners and experienced keepers. He discussed factual reporting, sponsor influence, privacy at farms and auctions, and the impression created when coverage concentrates on record prices.
Bringing visitors to Niigata. Gibbins proposed a koi-themed Joetsu Shinkansen and guided visits to Yamakoshi where travelers could see mud ponds, eat locally and, when the season permits, visit a breeder. He called for cooperation among the trade, media and local government.
Showing the breeder’s everyday work. Joachim “Kim” Cloet described how simple footage of a fish feeding or a customer’s Kohaku developing can reach a wide audience. He encouraged breeders to explain parent selection and feeding, follow a promising young koi over several years, and use farm pages to decide what they share.
Reaching Chinese viewers through people and places. Shana and her KOIDOH colleague described films about collectors’ homes, gardens and ponds alongside farm visits and bloodline histories. They also discussed permission to film at auctions and shows and closer cooperation between Japanese and Chinese koi associations.
Exports, government policy and demand within Japan
Export growth and changing destinations. The summit heard that Japanese Nishikigoi exports reached ¥9.97 billion in 2025, close to the ¥10 billion target for 2030. Speakers discussed growth in the United States, the resumption of farm registrations for exports to China, and demand in Southeast Asia and Europe. A change in the trade statistics in 2019 complicates comparisons with earlier years.
Government support and protection of Japanese origin. Takashi Sadakane of the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries explained why Nishikigoi are a priority export product, how the government supports Shinkokai’s work, and why market access requires negotiations with individual countries. Shinkokai’s application for geographical indication protection was under review at the time of the summit.
Promotion in established and emerging markets. Yoshida described exhibitions, embassy events and trade promotion in Asia, Europe, India and Brazil, including efforts to address restrictions that prevent buyers in some markets from importing Japanese koi.
The shrinking domestic hobby. Participants raised concerns about fewer household ponds and declining familiarity with Japanese gardens among younger people in Japan. They discussed domestic promotion, affordable koi and whether overseas enthusiasm could help renew interest at home.
Technology, education and the next generation
Digital certificates and traceability. Shinkokai demonstrated how a QR code can connect a koi’s photograph and breeding information to a database. The aim is to identify false certificates, verify the breeder and help breeders trace which parent fish have produced successful offspring.
Online auctions and AI-assisted shows. Internet auctions allow overseas buyers to bid directly. Photo and video entries let owners compete without transporting their koi. The first official AI Koi Show also raised a judging question: how well can a system trained on past winners recognize a new pattern that an experienced breeder finds promising?
Making Japanese information available overseas. The digital edition of Monthly Nishikigoi makes the association’s reporting available in Japanese, English and Chinese, alongside its print publication.
Teaching people how a koi changes with age. An audience member asked why newcomers so often see only the finished champion. Yoshida recalled a young Kohaku that nobody wanted at auction and that later became a champion. He suggested that breeders and hobbyists share photographs over time so newcomers can see what makes raising a koi rewarding.
Passing Nishikigoi culture on. In the closing remarks, Futoshi Mano returned to the standing of the All Japan show, cooperation among breeders, dealers, hobbyists, media and government, and the responsibility to pass both the fish and the knowledge behind them to the next generation.
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Download the World Nishikigoi Summit Transcript in English
Final Thoughts
In the hills of Niigata, where Nishikigoi originated, families have passed down their koi farms along with the knowledge it takes to breed the fish in their ponds. To me, the care those families have given to their work over generations represents some of the best of Japanese culture. It is also why I value the work of the All Japan Nishikigoi Promotion Association so highly.
Wherever Nishikigoi are raised or sold, people should be able to trust what they are told about a koi’s variety, its bloodline and where it was bred. Anyone who misrepresents the value of a fish for financial gain diminishes the work of the breeder. I believe Japan’s breeders should continue to lead the way through Shinkakai in setting industry standards, preserving bloodlines and teaching others the names and histories of the varieties they know so well. Wherever in the world we come to know Nishikigoi, that history begins in Japan.
I started Koi Waters Online Magazine to bring Japanese gardens, Japanese koi breeders and Japanese culture together in one place. When someone pauses to watch Nishikigoi in a garden pond, I hope our stories help them see something of the families behind those fish.
My respect goes to the All Japan Nishikigoi Promotion Association, to the breeders leading this work and to the communities across Japan that are carrying the Nishikigoi tradition into the next generation.
World Nishikigoi Summit Data
The following information was converted from the files presented by Mr. Sadakane Takashi, at the World Nishikigoi Summit. Any error in the data is due to translating Japanese to English however at the time of publication all data was verified.
