By Joel Burkard: Pan Intercorp
reprinted from KOI USA
The Kurnonryu is a Doitsu Koi that has an inky black pattern that emerges like billowing black thunder clouds against a snow white background. The variety is said to have been developed by breeding a Shusui with a Matsukawa Bakke.
Mr. Fiji Tsuchikata of Tokyo purchased a Kumonryu as an almost all white, one year old, 5 inch Koi in the spring of 1992. In September of 1993 a marked change in the pattern of the sumi,(black) and a distinct improvement on the clarity of the white background appeared.
AT 17 inches the Kumonryu has a most striking pattern as it appeared in January of 1994 when it took top honors 45bu Kumonryu at the 26th Tokyo Taikai Show.
Because of the unstable nature of the sumi, the Kumonryu's pattern can change at the drop of a hat, from all white to completely black with every imaginable variation in between. Although it is still a Tategoi.
It is uncertain what exactly causes the changes, contributing factors can be: water temperature, water quality, diet, stress, etc. The ever-changing nature of the Kumonryu is what makes these Koi such a joy to own forever a tategoi.
Recently, the increasing popullarity of the Kumonryu has prompted experimental breeding on the part of several Japan breeders. Mr. Hirasawa of Hiranish Farms in Nigata has been somewhat successful in stabilizing sumi pattern by breeding Kumonryu to a doitsu Siro Utsuri. The result is this Kumon-Utsuri, a one-of-a-kind Kawarimono belonging to Harry and Letha Jacobsmuhlen of Cornelius, Oregon. Mr. Hirasawa reports that subsequent breedings have not yielded any more Kumon-Utsuri, but assures us that he will continue in his efforts to create truly unique Koi.