Ojiya Nishikigoi no Sato

Nishikigoi, or vari-coloured carp are known as “swimming jewels,” with their gleaming vermillion, white and golden colouring, and they are an indispensable feature of any Japanese garden. The original site for breeding of nishikigoi is Ojiya City in Niigata Prefecture. Here at Ojiya Nishikigoi no Sato you can see authentic nishikigoi that have been nurtured and cultivated in the clear, fresh waters flowing down from the mountains, using traditional breeding techniques.At Nishikigoi no Sato there is a Japanese garden where the carp swim in a pond that features various large and small waterfalls and bridges, and also a specially dedicated building where visitors can see over 100 outstanding specimens of large Ojiya-bred carp that have been carefully bred and nurtured here in the city. There is also an archives room that displays various materials about the history of nishikigoi, the various species, and rearing methods. In the specially dedicated nishikigoi appreciation building visitors can also feed the carp.