Variety
A single round red marking on the head — ideally a perfect circle centered between the eyes — on an otherwise pattern-free white body. Named after the red-crowned crane and echoing the Japanese flag. Tancho Kohaku is the classic form; Tancho Sanke and Tancho Showa also exist.
| Grade | Typical price (6–10″ unless noted) |
|---|---|
| Pond / garden quality | $100 – $1,550 |
| High grade / import | up to $3,000 |
| Show grade | $6,000+ |
Tancho cannot be bred deliberately — the round head spot is luck, which keeps quality specimens scarce.
Size, body conformation, and breeder line move prices more than variety alone — see the full koi price guide.
San Jose, CA Ships nationwide $$ $$$ show
Genki Koi is a San Jose, California koi importer founded in 1997, run by owner Kevin who travels to Japan several times a year to hand-select fish from more than 50 Niigata and Hiroshima breeders including Dainichi and Isa. It sells a broad range of traditional and metallic varieties online with nationwide shipping.
Mililani, HI Ships nationwide $$ $$$ show
Kodama Koi Farm has been farming koi in Mililani, Hawaii since 1969 and operates as both a breeder and a major importer, running weekly online auctions of fish sourced directly from top Niigata breeders such as Dainichi, Isa, and Marudo. It ships nationwide by air cargo from Hawaii and runs an additional retail location, Kodama Koi Garden, in New York.
Enola, PA Ships nationwide $ $$
Koi Fish USA is an online-only koi and butterfly koi retailer operated by Cumberland Valley Koi, LLC out of Enola, Pennsylvania. It focuses exclusively on live fish, offering next-day nationwide delivery, a 14-day live-arrival guarantee, and over 100 standard and butterfly koi varieties, though it does not publicly disclose whether stock is bred in-house or sourced from other farms.
Upland, CA Ships nationwide $ $$ $$$
Mystic Koi & Water Gardens is a family-owned shop in Upland, California that has operated since 1996 as, by its own description, the largest Southern California specialty retailer of imported Japanese koi and water-gardening supplies. The three-quarter-acre property carries an unusually wide range of named varieties sourced from Japanese breeders including Sekiguchi, Omosako, and Sakai Fish Farm, alongside plants, filtration, and pond-care products.
Marietta, GA Local pickup only $$ $$$
Splendor Koi & Pond is a full-service koi and water-garden store in Marietta, Georgia, established in 2007, offering what it calls the largest koi selection in the Southeast alongside pond design, installation, and maintenance. Koi are sold in-store or by phone consultation rather than shipped, spanning varieties from Kohaku and Sanke to Kujaku and Goshiki.