According to Times Now News, this red Koi fish was born in 1751 in Japan. The average lifespan of a red Koi carp is about 40 years. However, Hanako lived until the 1970s and passed away at the age of 226.
Dr. Komeri Koshihara, the last owner of Hanako, shared the story of this Koi fish for the first time in 1966 on Nippon Hoso Kyokai radio.
Koshihara enlisted the help of Professor Masayoshi Hiro, who worked at the Animal Science Laboratory at Nagoya Women’s University, to verify Hanako’s age.
Professor Hiro extracted two scales from Hanako to determine its age.
The 226-year-old Koi fish Hanako.
According to a record of the broadcast, Koshihara stated: “This Hanako fish is still in perfect condition and swims energetically in a quiet stream flowing down from Mount Ontake. It weighs 7.5 kg and is 70 cm long.”
He added: “Hanako and I are the closest of friends. When I call ‘Hanako! Hanako!’, it will eagerly swim to my feet. If I lightly tap its head, it seems to enjoy it. Sometimes I even daringly lift it out of the water and hug it.”
“Once, a viewer asked me if I was performing a trick with the Koi fish. Although it is just a fish, it seems to feel very loved, and there appears to be an emotional connection between us. Currently, my greatest joy is returning home two or three times a month to keep Hanako company,” Koshihara shared.
He explained that just like a tree has growth rings, a fish has growth rings on its scales. One simply needs to count them to know the fish’s age.
It is known that this fish has been passed down through several generations in the Koshihara family.
