Collection: All Japanese Koi for Sale – Hand-Selected Premium Koi

Welcome to the largest hand-selected collection of Japanese koi for sale online. Owner Tom Lai, a certified koi-show judge, personally selects every koi at the source in Japan, and we post more new listings, more often, than any other dealer. Each koi is shown on its own or in a clearly lettered group, with a high-quality video of the fish as it looks today, so you always see the exact koi that will arrive in your pond.

Browse friendly Chagoi, high-contrast Shiro Utsuri, bold Showa, and dozens more varieties from legendary Japanese breeders including Isa, Marusei, Torazo, Maruyama, Taniguchi and Ogata.

Why choose ChampKoi?

  • βœ” The largest selection of hand-selected Japanese koi direct from Japan, in every size, variety, and price range
  • βœ” A high-quality video of every koi, so you see exactly what you are buying
  • βœ” Live Arrival Guarantee with transparent nationwide next-day shipping (Tuesday to Thursday), never marked up
  • βœ” A family-owned business since 1998, rated 4.8 stars by koi keepers nationwide

Use the guides on this page to find your perfect koi, add a living masterpiece to your pond, and experience the ChampKoi difference today.

ChampKoi owner Tom Lai in Japan purchasing Japanese tosai koi fish for sale at a Japanese breeder's koi farm.

Shop by variety

From beginner-friendly Ogon to championship Kohaku, we stock real depth in every variety, not just one or two.

What makes one koi cost more than another?

Japanese judges score koi on three things, in this order. Knowing them makes every listing easier to read.

β‰ˆ 50% Β· Body
Conformation

The single biggest factor. A great koi is shaped like a torpedo: full volume, a strong tail joint, and a symmetrical, graceful body. Body is set for life; it can't be fed back in.

β‰ˆ 30% Β· Skin & color
Quality of finish

Snow-white whites, deep true-red hi, and glossy, even skin. Thick, lustrous color that's crisp at the edges is the mark of a top breeder's bloodline.

β‰ˆ 20% Β· Pattern
Balance & flow

A pleasing, balanced pattern, front-to-back and left-to-right, with clean edges. The part most people fall in love with first, but the smallest part of the score.

A pro's rule of thumb: buy the body first. Color deepens with age and good food, but a koi's body shape is fixed. Size, variety and breeder set the rest of the price, which is why the same variety can run from a hundred dollars to many thousands.

Buying koi online, made simple

The questions we hear most, answered.

Do I really get the exact koi in the photos and video?οΌ‹
Yes. Every listing shows the actual fish you'll receive, photographed individually or in a clearly lettered group where you choose your letter. The high-quality ~30-second video shows exactly what that koi looks like right now, not a stock photo or an old shot.
Will my koi arrive alive?οΌ‹
We ship overnight in oxygenated boxes and back every order with our Live Arrival Guarantee. If something isn't right when your koi arrives, we make it right. Shipping is never marked up, and any overage is automatically refunded.
How many koi can my pond hold?οΌ‹
A safe rule of thumb is about 250 gallons per adult koi (or ~10 gallons of water per inch of fish). A 1,000-gallon pond comfortably holds around four adult koi. Overstocking is the most common beginner mistake, so when in doubt, add fewer and enjoy watching them grow.
What size koi should I buy?οΌ‹
Younger koi (tosai, ~6-8β€³) are affordable and grow fast, so you get to watch their color develop. Larger koi (nisai/sansai, ~10-20β€³) already show more developed body and color and make an instant impact in the pond. Both are great, and it comes down to budget and patience.
Why is one koi $150 and another $15,000?οΌ‹
Four things: size, quality (body, skin and pattern), variety, and breeder. A larger fish with excellent conformation from a famous Japanese bloodline commands far more than a young, simply-patterned pond koi, even in the same variety. See the quality breakdown above.
When will my koi arrive?οΌ‹
You choose the arrival date. Right in your cart you pick a preferred delivery day. The days we offer are Wednesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays, starting at least two days out, which gives us time to locate your koi, health-check it, and pack it carefully. We then ship overnight the day before, so it arrives safe and healthy on the day you picked and you can plan to be home to receive it.