Goldfish

Hello, and welcome to Japanology Plus.
I'm Peter Barakan.

I'm in a place called Funabori,

which is in Edogawa Ward
on the eastern edge of Tokyo.

Our theme for today is up on the wall
behind me there: goldfish.

And the Edogawa area is
famous for farming them.

Goldfish are a familiar sight in Japan.

Many people keep them as pets,

and going back in history,

they've been used as motifs
in traditional painting, for example,

and in kimono design.

You'll see them in all sorts of places.

On today's program we'll take a look at
the popularity of goldfish,

and their place in Japanese culture.

But let's start off with a look
at the fish themselves.

There are thought to be over 100 varieties
of goldfish in the world,

and 30 to 40 of those
are commonly found in Japan.

The breeds differ in many ways,
including color and shape.

Let's look at a few examples.

First, the “wakin,”
a fish known for its slim body.

It's thought to be the progenitor
of all Japanese goldfish.

Next, the “ryukin,”
a round fish with long, elegant fins.

Since the 18th century, this has been one
of the most popular breeds in Japan.

Here we have “hamanishiki.”

It has a distinctive,
heart-shaped lump on its head.

Next,
something even more out of the ordinary.

The eyes of the “chotengan”
variety are turned upwards.

This breed was once exclusive
to the Chinese Imperial court.

It arrived in Japan
in the early 20th century.

Just as striking is the “suihogan” breed.

A genetic mutation gave it two large,
balloon-shaped sacs underneath its eyes.

Finally, “ranchu,” known in Japan
as the “king of goldfish.”

It has a lump on its head,
and no dorsal fin.

A single fish can cost hundreds
of thousands—or even millions—of yen.

Ranchu are often described as living works
of art, or swimming sculptures.

Goldfish shows are held to determine
which ranchu are the most beautiful.

Breeders put a great deal
of time and effort into

raising the perfect fish for these events.

It is vital to select the most promising
fry before they change color.

A group of 3,000 newly hatched fish
go through a six-month selection process.

The shape of the tail and the back

help to determine the ten or so fish
that are ultimately chosen.

Here's a fully grown ranchu.

It has a colorful, rounded body.

But can you tell why it's known
as the “king of goldfish”?

To find out,
we're going to hear from Kawada Yonosuke,

a goldfish expert who has published
many books on the subject.

He is a tireless promoter
of these attractive fish.

So, Kawada-san,
do you actually keep goldfish yourself?

I've been keeping them for 60 years.

What?!

How did that start?

When I was a youngster, my grandfather
kept all sorts of different goldfish.

I found them really fascinating,

and that's how I became such a big fan.

I've been looking after goldfish myself
since my first year of primary school.

OK, that's a long, long time.

OK.

We're visiting a goldfish hatchery
that has been operating since 1837.

Great big ones here. What are these?

These are “ranchu”—

the breed often described
as the “king of goldfish.”

What makes them so regal?

On their heads,

they have a bump—a raised growth.

Do you see?

It looks like a crown.

Ahh.

Also, fish usually have dorsal fins,
but ranchu don't have one.

They have plump bodies with a flat back.

One point about goldfish is that

they were bred to look good
when viewed from above.

Ranchu look especially elegant.

And they have a simple shape.

These features make them stand out.

So they would look good from above.

Yes, exactly.

OK, OK.

What makes it so hard to breed them
without the dorsal fins?

Breeders have been working
since the 19th century

to stabilize and maintain
this variety of goldfish.

But genetically speaking,
that hasn't yet been achieved.

Only a certain proportion end up checking
all the necessary boxes.

It's a real challenge.

OK, OK.

What are these ones over here?

Are these the same?

These are ranchu fry, hatched this year.

Oh, so these will grow up to be like this?

Yes.

They're a much paler color now, of course.

But when do they start acquiring
this deep orange tone to them?

It's different for each fish,

but for these it will
take another month or two.

What it is that gives them
this distinctive color?

That comes from certain ingredients
in the food that we give them.

Some plants, including particular
varieties of marine algae,

contain pigment.

When the goldfish eat those plants,

they absorb the pigment
and take on a bright red color.

Also, the color of the container we keep
them in affects the strength of the tone.

A black container makes a stronger color
develop more quickly.

Interesting.

OK.

It's interesting.
There's...the sizes are different.

The colors are different.

The patterns are different.

I mean, we're talking about goldfish,
but there's so many different kinds.

Yes, there really are.

But they all have the same origin.

They all came from the “wakin” breed.

So let's take a moment to think about
how that was done.

You'll already know that human
beings have two different chromosomes.

X and Y. Yeah.

Fish in the carp family,
such as goldfish, have four.

That makes each breed
much more likely to produce mutations.

Oh, I see.

So they're more prone to mutation
because they have four chromosomes?

Yes.

Around 20 million years have passed since
the carp family of fish first appeared.

The genus established itself naturally.

In the present day,

humans have bred many
different varieties of goldfish.

But if humans took a step back
and let the fish reproduce naturally,

they'd all turn back into carp.

Oh, wow.

We can look at it on a genetic level.

Goldfish emerged in China
1,500 to 2,000 years ago,

and in Japan around 500 years ago.

Genetically speaking, that's nothing
compared to 20 million years.

So when goldfish reproduce,

they're predisposed
to generating examples of carp DNA.

That's what's going on.

That's really interesting actually.

Very interesting.

Are there any major differences in the way
that they're bred in Japan and China?

In China, they enjoy producing
a great number of mutations.

They're less concerned about stabilizing
those mutations into a new breed.

Interesting fish are
appreciated individually.

For example,
let's look at the chotengan variety,

with its upturned eyes.

They look like they've come
out of a cartoon.

Sorry guys; it wasn't meant as an insult!

Supposedly,
in order to produce fish like this,

Chinese breeders put goldfish in pots
with a very narrow opening at the top.

They only admitted
a very small circle of light.

Eventually, that resulted in fish
with eyes pointed directly upwards.

That's the story, at least.

However, these fish were created,
they certainly look unique.

In Japan, meanwhile,

the emphasis was
on propagating interesting features

until a new type of goldfish was created.

Breeders would refine

and improve appearance
until it satisfied them aesthetically.

That was their approach.

Here, we have a red and white breed.

It's called “sakuranishiki.”

It actually came from the variety
you see next to it, “edonishiki,”

which is red, white and black.

The two types are essentially the same,
aside from the black coloring.

When the three-color breed
was being developed,

some fish happened
to have just two colors.

That wasn't what the breeders were after.

Even so, they looked
at the two-color fish and thought,

“Well, this is good too.”

They took a shine to it.

They decided to aim for a fish with no
dorsal fin, and a red and white coloring.

Those colors resemble cherry blossoms,
or sakura,

which are widely admired in Japan.

So the breed was named “sakuranishiki.”

Artistic quality as well.

It takes an aesthetic sense, imagination,
and unwavering determination

to bring a new breed to life.

The breeders set themselves a challenge.

And they don't give up.

Stabilizing this breed
took a great deal of time.

Over a decade, in fact.

Hello.

Hello.

I hear you've been in business here
for about 180 years.

Why did Edogawa become famous
for farming goldfish?

Well, goldfish farming took off here

at a time when Edogawa was still
lotus fields, rice fields and swamps.

It was mostly wetland.

At the time, goldfish were transported
across the country by train.

Those trains would stop in Asakusa,
in Tokyo.

Goldfish wholesalers
would congregate there,

and they soon decided
to farm goldfish themselves.

They formed family businesses
in the Edogawa area.

Edogawa was an ideal place for goldfish,
because of its wetlands.

The industry reached its peak
in around 1950,

when there were over 30 hatcheries.

Today, there are only two or three.

Do you still farm fish here?

Although we still sell goldfish here,
they're farmed elsewhere—

in Ibaraki Prefecture.

Are there any species that you yourself
have actually created?

Breeds? Yes.

These ones here, in fact.

Oh, these?

In this tank.

Five-color goldfish
were quite popular at the time,

so I decided to produce
a new five-color breed.

This was around ten years ago.

Was it hard to get this balance?

The more colors there are,
the messier the pattern can get.

So yes, it was tricky to produce fish
with a good balance.

You were saying that the farming
has mostly moved outside Tokyo now.

But you still maintain this shop here.

Why is that?

Historically,

Edogawa has been one of Japan's top
three goldfish production centers.

Running a business here is my way
of honoring that aspect of its identity.

Maintaining the tradition.

Absolutely.

In China, around 1,500 to 1,800 years ago,

genetic mutation produced
a red-colored variety of carp.

These fish were bred, over and over,
until eventually, goldfish were created.

Those fish were introduced to Japan
in the 16th century,

and that first breed was
given the name “wakin,”

meaning “Japan goldfish.”

At the time, they were luxury possessions,

owned only by the wealthy upper classes.

In the 17th century,
goldfish became a source of local pride.

Aristocrats competed to have the most
unique and beautiful specimens.

The area around Nagoya had “jikin,”

a breed with a divided tail that is
compared to a pair of peacock fans.

This goldfish is thought to have
a dignified, noble appearance.

The Kochi region had “tosakin,”

whose own unique tail has been compared
to the raiment of a celestial maiden.

To create this unusual tail,
the fish are raised in a round bowl.

They swim in circles,

which is what makes their tails curl
in such an attractive way.

Next, “izumo nankin,”
from the Shimane region.

The local lord, Matsudaira Fumai,
was a renowned master of the tea ceremony.

He was a reserved man,
who advocated for elegance and simplicity.

The Izumo nankin was created
to embody those ideals.

Its red mouth, round body

and glittering silver coloring
communicate a quiet dignity.

In the 19th century, goldfish
ownership spread to the general public.

Samurai started raising goldfish
to help make ends meet in a time of peace.

The fish were produced
in great quantities.

Originally, there were no glass tanks—

instead, goldfish were kept
in porcelain containers,

and viewed mostly from above.

In due course, small, transparent glass
containers were produced.

These made it easier
to admire goldfish from any angle.

Later still, goldfish scooping became
a popular activity at summer festivals.

Families would take home
the goldfish they caught.

Watching them swim was thought to
offer a cooling effect

during the hot and humid summer months.

So what have we got here?

Goldfish on everything!

Little lanterns. Those are nice too.

Cup, saucers, bowls.

I don't know
if I've been in Japan for too long, but

I don't remember seeing
these kind of goldfish designs

back in London when I was living there.

Although that's a long, long time ago.

Is this something that's pretty
much unique to Japan, I wonder?

Well, goldfish designs
are certainly very common here;

you see them on items for children.

And a geisha's ornate hairpin

might feature a decorative
goldfish design or motif.

Why do you think they're so popular?

Here in Japan, they're seen as auspicious.

Another factor is their red color.

It's thought to ward off misfortune.

The gates at Japanese shrines
often use the same color.

Is that why they're red?

I didn't know that.

Ooh,

they've got scooping.

Did you do this as a kid?

I certainly did.

Have you ever tried it yourself?

I don't remember
if I ever did it in England.

I think they
might have had something similar.

I tried in Japan a couple of times.

Absolutely hopeless.

Will you give it a go?

Why not?

Here's the scoop.

It's kind of slightly rough on one side
and smooth on the other side.

Which side do you use?

This is the smooth front,
and this is the rough back.

OK, so the smooth side's on top.

Yes.

OK.

Can you give him some tips?

You have to be gentle, and careful.

If you pull the scoop straight up,
it'll break.

But if you move it horizontally,
you can stop that from happening.

So you...

No, not like that.

That puts pressure on the scoop.

Slide it in at a 45-degree angle,
then move it horizontally.

When you've got a goldfish,
bring it up slowly.

They're all running away.

Let's try it again; here we go.

Ahh!

Do you just wait for one to come,
or do you move it?

Well, if you do move the scoop,

try to see things
from the viewpoint of the fish

and anticipate where they're going to go.

That's it! Yes!

Ooh, got him, got him.

There you go.

Finally got one.

Wonder if I can get a black one.

I thought it got...oh it has;
it's got a hole in it.

That means that it's hopeless now, right?

Oh well, never mind.

At least I got one.

When I was a child, I'd spend all
my pocket money on goldfish scooping.

I remember this one man running a stall.

He said, “Hey kid, great work.

It's my last day here,
so take any goldfish you like.”

That's what he said.

He was a really nice guy.

I still remember that day.

I took my fish home,
and really looked after it.

From around the 18th century,

goldfish designs started
to adorn many everyday objects.

Goldfish appealed to the many Japanese

who enjoyed delicate motifs embodying
natural beauty and vitality.

Fukahori Ryusuke conveys those features
in a new artistic form.

These fish look like
they're about to start swimming.

But in fact, they've been painted.

Fukahori is internationally renowned
for his depictions of goldfish.

Here, he slowly builds up an image
using layers of acrylic resin—

around 20 layers altogether.

When combined, they form a realistic,
three-dimensional fish.

It appears to float.

When viewed from the side, however,
nothing is visible at all.

People often think
I copy from a photograph.

But I work without any reference at all.

I simply paint a fish, swimming around.

It's not a fish I've seen anywhere;

it's just an expression
of an image in my mind.

That's what I do.

Fukahori has been painting goldfish

ever since a life-changing
moment in the year 2000.

Back then, he was a struggling artist.

One day, he found himself looking
at his somewhat neglected fish tank.

For years, he had paid little attention
to the goldfish in it.

I took the lid off,

and found myself
gazing down at a goldfish.

Its back was so beautiful.

A vivid red.

I'd forgotten how amazing
that color could be.

I'll never forget that moment.

That's what I strive to recreate.

The beauty Fukahori saw that day

inspired him to create countless
works featuring goldfish.

We take carp, and give them a red color,
frilly bits, or a lump on the head.

Humans have remodeled them.

And that might in fact be very sinful.

Nevertheless, it's a sin that ended up
changing my life for the better.

I sometimes think goldfish
were put in this world to

bear the burden of the human ego.

It's kind of a weird place.

Whoa.

Oh my god, are all these goldfish?

It's hard to tell what color they are
because they're all lit up in red.

Oh, and blue.

Gosh.

Whoa.

Hello.

Hello.

I don't think I've ever seen
so many goldfish in one place before.

Goldfish were originally developed
to be ornamental.

We showcase them in this museum
using sound, scent and lighting.

You can enjoy viewing goldfish
in many different ways.

Do you have any recommendations
for us to see?

The name of this exhibit
is literally “New Goldfish Show.”

It's different from other exhibits

in that it focuses attention
on goldfish from above.

These ones aren't very gold, are they?

There are a lot of rare goldfish swimming
in these tanks.

You're unlikely to see
many of them anywhere else.

Overall, there are 24 breeds on display.

OK.

The water's very still; the base is white.

It's very, kind of...

almost antiseptic...
perhaps taking it too far, but

very, very clean.

Obviously, fish have a metabolism.

What happens to what comes out?

In these tanks,
the water is constantly being replaced.

There's a steady flow in and out,

and that creates an ideal environment
for goldfish.

What's the fascination
for you with goldfish?

Well, regardless of the breed,
they're really cute.

That's one factor.

They react when you say something to them,

or when you come home.

Really?

Yes.

A kind of bond forms between
the fish and the owner.

And that's adorable.

Without a human looking after them,

there's no way for goldfish to survive.

A healthy goldfish implies
a healthy owner, in mind and body.

When you look after their needs,

the goldfish reflect that.

They're like a mirror of the owner.

When Japan went through
long periods of war,

putting effort into caring for a goldfish

was seen as a bad use of time and money.

It was uneconomical,

and few people did it.

But in times of peace,

people do take an interest in goldfish,
and their beauty.

When everyday life is settled,

goldfish quickly become popular again.

So that's another way to see goldfish—

as a symbol of peace.

They...definitely have a very
peaceful vibe about them, don't they?

There you go.

Thank you very much.

Thank you! My pleasure.