Nishikigoi

Hai, Hai, readers,

Hai is the Japanese word "yes" and it is used often to let the other person know that you know they are there...a kind of recognition of them being with you and you being attentive to them.

I must say another word called Koi in the Hotel's garden pond. It seems as those they were eaten by Japanese rice farmers along time ago. We are in Japan, after all, and fish is abundant. But, more about that is future entries...we are not finished with the topic of "fish".

Koi is the word for carp, and they were kept for 2,500 years ago first by the Chinese. They were first kept in ponds for the viewing pleasure of Chinese nobility. You know carp as gold fish. They began exhibiting patches of color while being kept in China, but it wasn't until they came to Japan that they were bred for beauty. The Japanese are given credit for creating Nishikigoi which in translation means: Living Jewels.

A homophone of the word Koi means love, affection; koi are therefore symbols of love and friendship in Japan, and they are no longer eaten because of this status.

They have fascinated me every time I have visited the garden. Isn't the yellow one unique? I've never seen one that color before.