Koi Club Berlin: multi-directional carp

18 Jun 2007 Category: Events & Exhibitions, Features, Graphics, Worldwide

Koi Club Berlin: multi-directional carp

Just one product of the growing artistic "Koi Klub" network: "Koi Walker" by Zen Yoshimoto.

Yoske Nishiumi couldn’t find his way of pop life-style in Tokyo - so without any master plan he headed for Berlin in 2000. What was supposed to be a short dropout of his former life as a Salaryman of 8 years turned out to be more: After some efforts to make a living, he finally came up with the unique idea of a Koi Klub. It started as a venue in a little Berlin bar mixing curious locals with Japanese crowds. Today, Koi Club grew to become an international event. And Yoske is now collaborating worldwide with his preferred artists and designers which he seems to pick with a natural born instinct as a producer. PingMag had a chat with Yoske Nishiumi in his Mitte hood about how it all began…

Written by Akiko Watanabe


The ‘Koi’ crew, from left to right: Phon.o a.k.a. Carsten Aermes, “Koi Klub” initiator Yoske Nishiumi, Toby Cornish of JUTOJO, Zen Yoshimoto, and Svenja Specht of Reality Studio.

Please tell us, how did it all start?

One night, after I had one of those obligatory after work drinks, I realised on the way home that this wasn’t the way I wanted to live my life. I was 30. That just wasn`t pop enough! But I was drunk enough to still come up with 3 striking ways to make my life more pop:
1. Win the lottery!
2. Study graphic or fashion design which I was interested in.
3. Grab the retiring allowance and the winter bonus from the company I worked for and go for a world trip!
The third option seemed the easiest and most exciting. From this moment, I got on a wave where I had no idea where it would bring me but I had to ride it. I travelled a bit, then I arrived in Berlin and rented an apartment just after two months.


The evolution of Onitsuka to Koi, illustrated by Julia Böttcher. Yoske recalls: “We made it with Onitsuka Tiger branding for OT Germany. This was actually the first collaboration with them.”

How did you develop your pop way of living in Berlin then?

Back then, Mitte had a similar feeling to somewhere like Katmandu: People were walking in their pyjamas on the streets! I went out every day and introduced myself as a newcomer from Japan to whoever I would meet. Eventually, my network had gone really wide… However, I did so many different things to make a living, for example I sold secondhand clothing and sneakers, worked as a tour guide…

… and organising events came naturally under that circumstances?

I only realised after moving to Berlin that this is what I can do the best: It is quite addictive for me to simulate the event scene, like at what point the light has to be up, when the people flock in, what kind of music starts at what timing, the food service, etc… I am fond of inviting friends for dinner to my place as well which is something similar to organising events - both are my favourite things to do.

Another unique “Koi Model,” designed by Zen Yoshimoto

A ‘Koi Klub’ party flyer.

You started the Koi Klub events in 2002. Since then, you involved a bunch of creative people. How did you find them and how do you work with them?


One of the ‘Koi’ parties where Berlin and Japanese crowds mix happily.

Almost everything regarding Koi Klub are collaborations with friends: Either I have seen their works somewhere or by word-of-mouth. The first one was Berlin-based illustrator Julia Böttcher of design studio Metrofarm. She created the image of a a carp, a Koi in Japanese, transforming into a sneaker - what turned out be the name of the event. Koi were actually our grandpa’s generation’s popular collectibles; sneakers are my generation’s collectibles. Both have in common that they could go extremely expensive by getting premier value. As for the flyers I usually ask photographer Kai von Rabenau for Koi Klub images. He also shoots a lot for Berlin-based music label Scape and does a very interesting interview magazine called Mono.Kultur - I highly recommend it. All of the printed layout design is made by Jessica Bentele: Her style is perfectly matching with Kai’s minimal style photos. She’s a true Berliner, and it helps me a lot that her blood is made of Techno! For the visuals at the club events I usually ask JUTOJO. This is a collaboration of 3 relatives, Julie, Toby and Joni, and their name stems form their initials. Recently I hang a huge Koi from a bar ceiling and they projected visuals on it.

Zen Yoshimoto’s clear sneakers’ series for “Koi Klub”: “We were asked to make those for Onitsuka Tiger’s European campaign ‘Made of Japan.’ They were exhibited at their stores in Europe, Australia and a showroom in the US.

Who else…?


A close-up of Zen’s giant acrylic sneaker: “First Zen made a prototype in enlarged size. Then, based on the prototype he worked on acrylic material, polished it hard until it got shiny. Apart from this process, he can`t really tell as it was a secret process… hmm!” Yoske explains.

What actually boosted my creative desire was the encounter with Zen Yoshimoto. We met by accident at a Berlin Sushi restaurant. In Japan he had been a prototype builder for Bandai`s plastic models. As we got on really well, we started producing one Koi model each month to exhibit at the Koi Klub. The acrylic sneaker model we made this year is our most perfect collaboration so far. The 8 models were designed for Onitsuka Tiger Europe - and they are displayed in stores in Europe, Australia and the US.

They are so cute! What is the story of the Koi Walker by Zen Yoshimoto then?

This is the first vehicle that allows Koi to walk on the ground! The water in head tank allows him to breath, and the shower on top of his body avoids him from drying out. The tale unit transmits its motion so that Koi can operate as the Koi Walker. All of the Koi models are based on one story connecting them to each other.


The delicious Koi Mag package: layout by Jessica Bentele.

Koi Mag’s second instalment, designed by Julia Böttcher.

Please explain about this cute carp, and the Koi Klub`s overall concept…

Koi Klub is the impossible combination of two different things, it is an unnecessary or useless combination… and it is the unique moment when this is all mixed together. Even as a Japanese it is quite amazing to me that Koi has so many different meanings. Actually, Koi has 6 different ones although they are all are pronounced the same:
Koi: a carp
Koi: falling in love
Koi: with purpose
Koi: come here
Koi: intensive
Koi: the ancient ways


An inside look at Koi Mag with a cute design by Moki.

Koi Mag spread, layout by Jessica Bentele.

Apart from the venues you have now a magazine, too: KOI MAG!

When I started Koi Magazine, the image of Japan you got in Germany was kind of odd. It was a bit like a Sushi bar ran by the Russians - a genuine feeling was missing. Other were exhibitions organised by the Japanese embassy which didn’t seem more real either. So, the mag’s core was supposed to be about the ‘realness of Japan’ added to my interests which I mix with unusual environments: like the combination of Bosozoku with the Tsukiji, the fish market, mixed with street art and graphic design.
Besides people writing from all over the world, my regular contributor is first Julia Böttcher for the cover illustration. Which is always fun, finding out what’s hidden from her detailed works including lots of characters and objects within. Also, Zen Yoshimoto’s Koi Models are included; they are exhibited at Koi Klub each time. Next comes a Berlin native, photographer Aram Dikiciyan, who is currently living in Tokyo shooting portraits. Lastly comes the recipe page provided by Sasaya, Berlin`s favourite Japanese restaurant.

From the Koi Mag: Kai von Rabenau’s b/w view of the Tsukiji, Tokyo’s fish market.

Any highlights or anecdotes of Koi Kub enterprise so far?


‘Feet,’ sneakers covered with feet projections by JUTOJO. Yoske explains: “This was made for Dazed&Confused magazine Vol.II #47, March 07. We had four pages in this issue as ad trial for the launch of the ‘Koi Klub’ sneakers by Onitsuka Tiger.”

I was really delighted to bring Koi Klub to my home country and had a special venue at Tokyo’s Trump Room in November 2006: It was so funny to see music festival organisers and the apparel company buyers eating sausages, sitting next to Japanese girls in Gothic Lolita fashion. As a typical Koi Klub incident, I don`t think it is easy to spot something like this in any other place…

Lastly, your Koi dream?

Actually I would like to make a big gathering of Japanese living in Europe. This would be in Düsseldorf where the biggest Japanese population in Europe exists. Apart from that: The other day, I found a barn in Tochigi, Japan, for sale on the Yahoo auction page for only 100,000 Yen. I seriously thought of buying it and bringing it over to Berlin!

Thank you, Yoske Nishiumi, and your lovely Koi Klub enterprise! Hope to see you again in Tokyo!

39 Comments

  1. damn that is cool stuff!
    I really like the Julia Bittcher illustration!

    Posted by: Christian Halsted on June 18th, 2007 at 11:01 pm

  2. I mean Bottcher - sorry.

    Posted by: Christian Halsted on June 18th, 2007 at 11:02 pm

  3. every time I come to pingmag, I feel I am living in another world where I can see the beauty I can’t see in my daily life.

    Posted by: keanu on June 19th, 2007 at 1:04 pm

  4. Love how the koi party picture mimics an actual koi’s colors. The evolution illustration is also superb! I want to have a shirt with this illustration on it!

    Posted by: Magsy on June 19th, 2007 at 2:32 pm

  5. This is really cool.
    Great Work!!

    Posted by: Helen on June 19th, 2007 at 2:36 pm

  6. [...] PingMag - The Tokyo-based magazine about “Design and Making Things” » Archive » Koi Club Berli… [...]

    Posted by: komomola! » Blog Archive » Onitsuka Koi, to and fro on June 19th, 2007 at 4:39 pm

  7. The shoes, they are MAGNIFICENT!

    Posted by: zmogus on June 19th, 2007 at 5:11 pm

  8. heey let’s to the lovely pop carps because nothing is cooler than pop fish in water!!!! yeaaaaaah! you rrrrrrrrrockkkkk!!!!

    Posted by: minako on June 20th, 2007 at 2:12 am

  9. great!

    Posted by: Nio on June 20th, 2007 at 10:31 pm

  10. [...] hier der Rest des Interviews von Akiko Watanabe in Englisch über das ferne merkwürdige Land namens Berlin… Im [...]

    Posted by: Sabine Stoessel » Berlin: ganz weit weg on June 21st, 2007 at 1:44 am

  11. one time i accidentally swallowed a koi.

    Posted by: dumbdanny@snowboard.com on November 2nd, 2007 at 11:35 am

  12. Hi.
    Good design, who make it?

    Posted by: naisioxerloro on November 29th, 2007 at 6:05 pm

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