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Utsuri are white (Shiro), yellow (Ki) or red (Hi) base color koi with wrapping black pattern forming a checkerboard pattern that starts on the back and wraps below the lateral line. Utsuri were originally stabilized around 1925. Just as the early Showas evolved from the dark, heavy patterns to the modern Showa, so has the new Shiro Utsuri very recently (1990s) evolved to the balance of white and black and from dull sumi to jet-black sumi. The Ki and Hi Utsuri bloodlines have generally not evolved to this balance or to this jet-black sumi. As a result Ki and Hi Utsuri are not as highly valued and their sumi tends to fade away when moved from a dark pond to a blue show tank.
They also have a tendency to get scattered sumi specks on their base color making it look dirty. Utsuri also may have the motogoro at the base of their pectoral fins and sumi in the other fins. Utsuri need to have black on the face sometimes in the form of a lightening pattern down the head. Like the modern Showa, only the new Shiro Utsuri can compete with Gosanke on an almost equal footing. Shiro Utsuri do not have the difficulty Showa have of finishing two colors which gives the new Shiro Utsuri an advantage over Showa in finish but Showa have the advantage in difficulty, rarity and high cost. Many of the comments I made earlier about Showa and also about Gosanke can also be said of the new Shiro Utsuri. I expect to see more Major Awards going to the new Shiro Utsuri in the future.
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![Shiro Utsuri6[1]](../assets/images/autogen/a_Shiro_Utsuri6_1_.jpg "Shiro Utsuri6[1]")
