Koi story: priceless Japanese fish make a splash

1 / 26

This photo taken on November 30, 2017 shows nishikigoi koi carp being bred for future contests at the Kurihara Fish Farm in Kazo, Saitama prefecture. Hand-reared for their colour and beauty, koi carp have become an iconic symbol of Japan that can sell for hundreds of thousands of dollars and even participate in fishy beauty contests. / AFP / Toru YAMANAKA / TO GO WITH Japan-culture-animal-fish, FEATURE by Etienne BALMER

2 / 26

This photo taken on November 30, 2017 shows breeder Mikinori Kurihara (front), Yasuyuki Tanaka (top L) and Ryuichiro Kurihara (top R) transferring a customer's nishikigoi koi carp to a water tank in Kurihara Fish Farm in Kazo, Saitama prefecture. Hand-reared for their colour and beauty, koi carp have become an iconic symbol of Japan that can sell for hundreds of thousands of dollars and even participate in fishy beauty contests. / AFP / Toru YAMANAKA / TO GO WITH Japan-culture-animal-fish, FEATURE by Etienne BALMER

3 / 26

This photo taken on November 30, 2017 shows breeder Mikinori Kurihara (R), Yasuyuki Tanaka (C) and Ryuichiro Kurihara moving a customer's nishikigoi koi carp to a water tank at the Kurihara Fish Farm in Kazo, Saitama prefecture. Hand-reared for their colour and beauty, koi carp have become an iconic symbol of Japan that can sell for hundreds of thousands of dollars and even participate in fishy beauty contests. / AFP / Toru YAMANAKA / TO GO WITH Japan-culture-animal-fish, FEATURE by Etienne BALMER

4 / 26

This photo taken on November 30, 2017 shows breeders Ryuichiro Kurihara (L) and Yasuyuki Tanaka (R) transferring a customer's nishikigoi koi carp to a water tank on their truck in Kuki, Saitama prefecture. Hand-reared for their colour and beauty, koi carp have become an iconic symbol of Japan that can sell for hundreds of thousands of dollars and even participate in fishy beauty contests. / AFP / Toru YAMANAKA / TO GO WITH Japan-culture-animal-fish, FEATURE by Etienne BALMER

5 / 26

This photo taken on November 30, 2017 shows breeder Yasuyuki Tanaka transporting a customer's nishikigoi koi carp to a water tank in Kazo, Saitama prefecture. Hand-reared for their colour and beauty, koi carp have become an iconic symbol of Japan that can sell for hundreds of thousands of dollars and even participate in fishy beauty contests. / AFP / Toru YAMANAKA / TO GO WITH Japan-culture-animal-fish, FEATURE by Etienne BALMER

6 / 26

This photo taken on November 30, 2017 shows breeder Yasuyuki Tanaka moving a customer's nishikigoi koi carp to a water tank on his truck in Kazo, Saitama prefecture. Hand-reared for their colour and beauty, koi carp have become an iconic symbol of Japan that can sell for hundreds of thousands of dollars and even participate in fishy beauty contests. / AFP / Toru YAMANAKA / TO GO WITH Japan-culture-animal-fish, FEATURE by Etienne BALMER

7 / 26

This picture taken on November 24, 2017 shows koi carp displayed in plastic bags during a "nishikigoi (coloured carp) contest" in Tokyo. Hand-reared for their colour and beauty, koi carp have become an iconic symbol of Japan that can sell for hundreds of thousands of dollars and even participate in fishy beauty contests. - TO GO WITH Japan-culture-animal-fish, FEATURE by Etienne BALMER / AFP / Farzaneh KHADEMIAN / TO GO WITH Japan-culture-animal-fish, FEATURE by Etienne BALMER

8 / 26

This picture taken on November 24, 2017 shows judges marking koi carp in tanks during a "nishikigoi (coloured carp) contest" in Tokyo. Hand-reared for their colour and beauty, koi carp have become an iconic symbol of Japan that can sell for hundreds of thousands of dollars and even participate in fishy beauty contests. - TO GO WITH Japan-culture-animal-fish, FEATURE by Etienne BALMER / AFP / Farzaneh KHADEMIAN / TO GO WITH Japan-culture-animal-fish, FEATURE by Etienne BALMER

9 / 26

This photo taken on November 30, 2017 shows breeder Yasuyuki Tanaka transferring a customer's nishikigoi koi carp to a water tank in Kazo, Saitama prefecture. Hand-reared for their colour and beauty, koi carp have become an iconic symbol of Japan that can sell for hundreds of thousands of dollars and even participate in fishy beauty contests. / AFP / Toru YAMANAKA / TO GO WITH Japan-culture-animal-fish, FEATURE by Etienne BALMER

10 / 26

This photo taken on November 30, 2017 shows nishikigoi koi carp swimming in a water tank at the Kurihara Fish Farm in Kazo, Saitama prefecture. Hand-reared for their colour and beauty, koi carp have become an iconic symbol of Japan that can sell for hundreds of thousands of dollars and even participate in fishy beauty contests. / AFP / Toru YAMANAKA / TO GO WITH Japan-culture-animal-fish, FEATURE by Etienne BALMER

11 / 26

This photo taken on November 30, 2017 shows breeder Mikinori Kurihara (front), Yasuyuki Tanaka (top L) and Ryuichiro Kurihara (top R) transporting a customer's nishikigoi koi carp to a water tank at the Kurihara Fish Farm in Kazo, Saitama prefecture. Hand-reared for their colour and beauty, koi carp have become an iconic symbol of Japan that can sell for hundreds of thousands of dollars and even participate in fishy beauty contests. / AFP / Toru YAMANAKA / TO GO WITH Japan-culture-animal-fish, FEATURE by Etienne BALMER

12 / 26

This photo taken on November 30, 2017 shows nishikigoi koi carp swimming in a water tank at the Kurihara Fish Farm in Kazo, Saitama prefecture. Hand-reared for their colour and beauty, koi carp have become an iconic symbol of Japan that can sell for hundreds of thousands of dollars and even participate in fishy beauty contests. / AFP / Toru YAMANAKA / TO GO WITH Japan-culture-animal-fish, FEATURE by Etienne BALMER

13 / 26

This picture taken on November 24, 2017 shows koi carp displayed in plastic bags during a "nishikigoi (coloured carp) contest" in Tokyo. Hand-reared for their colour and beauty, koi carp have become an iconic symbol of Japan that can sell for hundreds of thousands of dollars and even participate in fishy beauty contests. - TO GO WITH Japan-culture-animal-fish, FEATURE by Etienne BALMER / AFP / Farzaneh KHADEMIAN / TO GO WITH Japan-culture-animal-fish, FEATURE by Etienne BALMER

14 / 26

This photo taken on November 30, 2017 shows breeders Mikinori Kurihara (L) and Yasuyuki Tanaka transferring a customer's nishikigoi koi carp to a water tank in Kuki, Saitama prefecture. Hand-reared for their colour and beauty, koi carp have become an iconic symbol of Japan that can sell for hundreds of thousands of dollars and even participate in fishy beauty contests. / AFP / Toru YAMANAKA / TO GO WITH Japan-culture-animal-fish, FEATURE by Etienne BALMER

15 / 26

This photo taken on November 30, 2017 shows breeder Yasuyuki Tanaka carrying a customer's nishikigoi koi carp to transfer it to a water tank on his truck in Kazo, Saitama prefecture. Hand-reared for their colour and beauty, koi carp have become an iconic symbol of Japan that can sell for hundreds of thousands of dollars and even participate in fishy beauty contests. / AFP / Toru YAMANAKA / TO GO WITH Japan-culture-animal-fish, FEATURE by Etienne BALMER

16 / 26

This picture taken on November 24, 2017 shows koi carp displayed in plastic bags during a "nishikigoi (coloured carp) contest" in Tokyo. Hand-reared for their colour and beauty, koi carp have become an iconic symbol of Japan that can sell for hundreds of thousands of dollars and even participate in fishy beauty contests. - TO GO WITH Japan-culture-animal-fish, FEATURE by Etienne BALMER / AFP / Farzaneh KHADEMIAN / TO GO WITH Japan-culture-animal-fish, FEATURE by Etienne BALMER

17 / 26

This photo taken on November 30, 2017 shows nishikigoi koi carp being bred in a water tank at the Kurihara Fish Farm in Kazo, Saitama prefecture. Hand-reared for their colour and beauty, koi carp have become an iconic symbol of Japan that can sell for hundreds of thousands of dollars and even participate in fishy beauty contests. / AFP / Toru YAMANAKA / TO GO WITH Japan-culture-animal-fish, FEATURE by Etienne BALMER

18 / 26

This picture taken on November 24, 2017 shows people looking at koi carp in a tank during a "nishikigoi (coloured carp) contest" in Tokyo. Hand-reared for their colour and beauty, koi carp have become an iconic symbol of Japan that can sell for hundreds of thousands of dollars and even participate in fishy beauty contests. - TO GO WITH Japan-culture-animal-fish, FEATURE by Etienne BALMER / AFP / Farzaneh KHADEMIAN / TO GO WITH Japan-culture-animal-fish, FEATURE by Etienne BALMER

19 / 26

This photo taken on November 30, 2017 shows breeder Yasuyuki Tanaka (C) transferring a customer's nishikigoi koi carp to a water tank in Kazo, Saitama prefecture. Hand-reared for their colour and beauty, koi carp have become an iconic symbol of Japan that can sell for hundreds of thousands of dollars and even participate in fishy beauty contests. / AFP / Toru YAMANAKA / TO GO WITH Japan-culture-animal-fish, FEATURE by Etienne BALMER

20 / 26

This photo taken on November 30, 2017 shows breeders Mikinori Kurihara (front), Yasuyuki Tanaka (top L) and Ryuichiro Kurihara (top R) transferring a customer's nishikigoi koi carp to a water tank at the Kurihara Fish Farm in Kazo, Saitama prefecture. Hand-reared for their colour and beauty, koi carp have become an iconic symbol of Japan that can sell for hundreds of thousands of dollars and even participate in fishy beauty contests. / AFP / Toru YAMANAKA / TO GO WITH Japan-culture-animal-fish, FEATURE by Etienne BALMER

21 / 26

This photo taken on November 30, 2017 shows breeder Yasuyuki Tanaka (2nd L) transferring a customer's nishikigoi koi carp to a water tank in Kazo, Saitama prefecture. Hand-reared for their colour and beauty, koi carp have become an iconic symbol of Japan that can sell for hundreds of thousands of dollars and even participate in fishy beauty contests. / AFP / Toru YAMANAKA / TO GO WITH Japan-culture-animal-fish, FEATURE by Etienne BALMER

22 / 26

This picture taken on November 24, 2017 shows koi carp displayed in plastic bags during a "nishikigoi (coloured carp) contest" in Tokyo. Hand-reared for their colour and beauty, koi carp have become an iconic symbol of Japan that can sell for hundreds of thousands of dollars and even participate in fishy beauty contests. - TO GO WITH Japan-culture-animal-fish, FEATURE by Etienne BALMER / AFP / Farzaneh KHADEMIAN / TO GO WITH Japan-culture-animal-fish, FEATURE by Etienne BALMER

23 / 26

This photo taken on November 30, 2017 shows nishikigoi koi carp being bred for future contests at the Kurihara Fish Farm in Kazo, Saitama prefecture. Hand-reared for their colour and beauty, koi carp have become an iconic symbol of Japan that can sell for hundreds of thousands of dollars and even participate in fishy beauty contests. / AFP / Toru YAMANAKA / TO GO WITH Japan-culture-animal-fish, FEATURE by Etienne BALMER

24 / 26

This photo taken on November 30, 2017 shows nishikigoi koi carp being bred for future contests at the Kurihara Fish Farm in Kazo, Saitama prefecture. Hand-reared for their colour and beauty, koi carp have become an iconic symbol of Japan that can sell for hundreds of thousands of dollars and even participate in fishy beauty contests. / AFP / Toru YAMANAKA / TO GO WITH Japan-culture-animal-fish, FEATURE by Etienne BALMER

25 / 26

This picture taken on November 24, 2017 shows a child looking at koi carp in a tank during a "nishikigoi (coloured carp) contest" in Tokyo. Hand-reared for their colour and beauty, koi carp have become an iconic symbol of Japan that can sell for hundreds of thousands of dollars and even participate in fishy beauty contests. - TO GO WITH Japan-culture-animal-fish, FEATURE by Etienne BALMER / AFP / Farzaneh KHADEMIAN / TO GO WITH Japan-culture-animal-fish, FEATURE by Etienne BALMER

26 / 26

This picture taken on November 24, 2017 shows judges marking koi carp in tanks during a "nishikigoi (coloured carp) contest" in Tokyo. Hand-reared for their colour and beauty, koi carp have become an iconic symbol of Japan that can sell for hundreds of thousands of dollars and even participate in fishy beauty contests. - TO GO WITH Japan-culture-animal-fish, FEATURE by Etienne BALMER / AFP / Farzaneh KHADEMIAN / TO GO WITH Japan-culture-animal-fish, FEATURE by Etienne BALMER