San Jose's Japanese Friendship Garden is grappling with a substantial loss as approximately 50 koi fish, collectively valued at $4,000, have mysteriously vanished from the public garden, leaving city officials and the community heartbroken as reported by Mercury News. The koi fish were found missing from one of the garden's isolation pods on April 29, and a $1,500 water pump was also declared stolen per the same source. Established in 1965, the Japanese Friendship Garden serves as a symbol of the sister-city relationship between San Jose and Okayama, Japan, which is also where the Korakuen Garden—the inspiration for the local attraction—is located.
We regret to inform our community that approximately 50 koi fish are missing from the Japanese Friendship Garden. We have reported the stolen fish to the San Jose Police Department. pic.twitter.com/Oga4IkAU9k
— San José Parks & Rec (@sjparksandrec) May 3, 2023
The disappearance of the koi fish has caused distress for both officials and San Jose residents alike, with local Audrey Lucatero telling KNTV that only a "very evil person" would commit such an act according to the Sacramento Bee. In the wake of the theft, the San Jose Parks and Recreation Department made the announcement on Twitter and reported the incident to the police, via the same source. San Jose received 300 koi as a gift in the '60s from their sister city, Okayama, and about 220 koi remain in the garden following the recent theft as shared by ABC7 News.
Spanning two separate nights, this isn't the first time in the garden's history that something has taken its toll on the koi population according to the Sacramento Bee, but rather, a virus wiped out more than 200 fish back in 2009. The koi are also not the first city-owned property targeted that's linked to one of San José's sister cities as Mercury News noted; in February, the publication reported the disappearance of an Indian statue from Guadalupe River Park, given as a gift from San José's sister city Pune, India.
Though the investigation is ongoing, San Jose Police Department is on the case, looking into both the theft of the koi fish and how the thieves managed to enter a secure, locked area without cutting the chain or lock as revealed by KTVU News. With the ponds in the park dating back to the sister-city celebrations in the mid-'60s, their popularity with local residents and tourists alike has led to questions as to why someone would target such beloved and valuable fish per the same source. Indeed, koi fish can range from hundreds of dollars for smaller specimens to hundreds of thousands for larger varieties, akin to designer dogs in cost and popularity according to KTVU News, with one pet store owner asking, "Can the person even take care of them?"
As the search for the stolen koi continues, officials state that they are "ramping up" security measures at the Japanese Friendship Garden to counteract theft and vandalism incidents that have occurred within the past year via ABC7 News. The value of each koi fish depends on factors such as pattern, color, and size, with prices ranging from $25 to $30,000 per fish according to the same source. With the loss of both the fish and the qualities they symbolize in the garden, San Jose authorities urge anyone with information regarding their disappearance to report it to the non-emergency police number at (408) 277-8900. In the meantime, increased security measures and heightened awareness may help protect the remaining koi fish in the Japanese Friendship Garden and maintain their presence—a cherished symbol of unity between two cities—for generations to come.
