Koi Fish Tattoos

Types of Koi Fish

There are fourteen classifications that koi fish can be broken down into, separated by color and markings.

• Kohaku. These are the most common type of koi, white with red markings.
• Taisho Sanke. These are white koi with red and black markings.
• Showa. These koi have red and white markings on a black background.
• Bekko. Bekko can be red, white, or yellow, but will have black markings.
• Utsurimono. These koi are similar to Bekko, but are actually the opposite, being black with red, white, or yellow markings.
• Asagi. These koi was blue/grey and have red markings on their sides, fins, and bellies.
• Shusui. Similar to the Asagi, but these koi was doitsu koi, meaning that they have scales only along their dorsal and lateral lines.
• Koromo. Koromo koi are named for the pattern they have - "robed." They are normally white, and then the pattern is outlined in a darker color, sometimes blue, black, or purple.
• Kawarimono. This is a catch-all name, including all koi that are non-metallic.
• Hikarimono. Koi that are hikarimono are a metallic, but of a single color only.
• Hikari-Utsurimono. These koi are metallic, but with the marking of a Utsurimono.
• Hikarimoyo-Mono. These koi are also metallic, but they have more than one color and do not fall into the Utsurimono and Showa patterns.
• Tacho. Tacho are named after the national bird of Japan and, like the crane they are named for, they have a single red spot on the their foreheads.
• Kinginrin. Any koi with more than 20 sparkling scales.

Meanings and Symbolism Behind Koi Fish Tattoos

Koi are considered a manly symbol, especially after it was appropriated by the Boys' Day Festival in Japan. According to legend, the koi climb the waterfall bravely, and if they are caught, they face their death on the cutting board bravely, like samuri. Other Japanese meanings include perseverance and strength.

In China, it is believed that if the koi succeeded in climbing to "Dragon Gate" on the Yellow River, the koi will be transformed into dragons. Because of the Chinese legend, koi are considered a symbol of advancement and aspiration.

When used in tattoos, especially with running water, the koi is meant to symbolize courage and the ability to attain goals and to overcome life's difficulties. When the koi in the tattoo is shown swimming upstream, it can be used to mean that the tattooee is still struggling with their problem, whereas a koi swimming downstream implies that the tattooee has already overcome their difficulty. In other cases, the koi swimming downstream can represent the season of fall, and the koi swimming upstream can represent the spring.

Ideas for Koi Fish Tattoos

Like any other tattoo you may want to get, planning is important! Don't rush into something you may regret. Other than looking at tattoo flash, you can also check out these three sites:

• tattoos designs ideas gallery.asp Tattoo Finder to see some samples of koi fish tattoos. Another place to look is at Japanese artwork.
• Oriental Outpost has a number of images of artwork for sale with all different types and styles of koi fish.
• Koi USA Magazine has some great pictures of koi fish, in natural settings, ponds, and alone.

Don't be shy about adding other images to the koi fish tattoo that you want. Koi fish tattoos often include backgrounds, mostly water and bamboo, although other images can be combined. Some other alternatives for adding color or style include flowers, hearts, and suns or moons.

Keith Alexander and His Koi Tattoo

Keith Alexander kept a website discussing the process he went through to get a gorgeous, highly-detailed full-back koi fish tattoo. He began in May of 2003 and didn't finish until April of 2004. The tattoo he designed took over 42 hours of needle time, but even more time for healing and planning. Keith's journey is depicted with images and blog on his website, allowing anyone to see the entire year.