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"The World's Oldest Koi
One of the reasons that the Japanese people value an outstanding Koi is that they consider them to be living jewels. When Koi are purchased, they are looked upon as long lived creatures to be passed down from generation to generation. The story of the oldest recorded Koi is fascinating, and the information below is taken from June 1997 issue of Koi USA magazine. The full story is a transcription of a radio broadcast done by Dr. Koshihara, and first published in "Live Jewels" in 1968. It is reprinted verbatim in Koi USA, and my writing does not do justice to the event.
Hanako is the name of this Koi that lived at the base of Mt. Ontake. When Dr. Koshihara would call Hanako from across the pond, she would come to his feet to be petted on the head. Occasionally he would take her out of the pond and embrace her. This was his favorite spot at the side of the pond, and he went there often.
The pond is located deep in the mountains of the Mino Province. The waters are pure that feed this pond which is less than 20 feet across. Besides Hanako, there are five other fish that swim in this pond, and each is also old. They are 170 years, 155, 151, 141, and another 141 years old. The Koshihara family had been the village head for many generation from the time of the Tokugawa shogunate, and the house and pond had been with the family since the beginning.
Hanako died on July 17, 1977 at the age of 226 years."
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