Hariwake

Hariwake are derived from Ogon or Ogon Matsuba lineage and display two metallic colors - a platinum base overlaid with either yellow-gold (Yamabuki) or orange (Orenji) markings. These immensely bright and showy Koi, much loved be beginners, are relatively easy to produce. The Doitsu versions are particularly popular. A Doitsu Orenji Hariwake is properly known as a Kikusui. Kikusui are a scaleless version of a Hariwake. Look for one with a nice Kohaku pattern that has nice sharp edges and very white skin

Ideally, fully scaled Yamabuki and Orenji Hariwake should have clear platinum heads, although if the second color intrudes it is not a disaster. The nicest examples show a lot of metallic white on the body, but others have only small areas of this platinum skin. As in Hikarimono, the scales should convey a three-dimensional impression.

Doitsu Hariwake often fall down on the positioning of the mirror scales, which as in all other Doitsu Koi, should be bilaterally symmetrical and evenly spaced. Many examples show coarse scalation all over the caudal peduncle, while in others, the scales are overly large, with an armored appearance. Look beyond the overt appeal of these fish to be sure of acquiring a good specimen.

Fully scaled Hariwake Matsuba are virtually indistinguishable from Kujaku. The dark pinecone insertion point to each scale is toned down because of the metallic overlay. Hariwake Matsuba Doitsu are another matter, because the dark scales are only those along the back and flanks. No other sumi appears on the platinum/yellow body. These fish give a very clear-cut impression.

The Hariwake Tora Ogon is a Yamabuki Hariwake with Bekko sumi, a straight cross between these varieties. The plain Tora Ogon is a Shiro Bekko and Yamabuki Ogon cross and not, as has been suggested, a metallic Ki Bekko