Six Native Dogs of Japan - Japan House London (2024)

FAQs

Six Native Dogs of Japan - Japan House London? ›

Six breeds have been identified as truly native breeds of Japan and have been designated living 'Natural Monuments' (natural features or entities of outstanding or unique value). These are Akita, Kai, Kishu, Shiba, Shikoku, and Hokkaido.

Six breeds of dog have been identified as true native breeds of Japan: Shiba Inu, Akita Ken, Hokkaidō Ken, Kai Ken, Kishū Ken and Shikoku Ken.

Dogs are highly regarded in traditional folk religion and Buddhism in Japan. They are often represented as defenders of man as they are believed to have the power to ward off evil spirits. A lot of Japanese architecture may include statues of dogs due to this belief.

Despite the recent uptick in the popularity of cute shiba-inus, the most famous Japanese dog is almost undoubtedly Hachikō, a white akita who was born in 1923. Hachikō grew up walking his master to Shibuya Station and picking him up there after work. This continued until his master suddenly died while at work.

A scarce breed, the courageous yet docile Ryukyu Inu hails from Japan's southern islands (Okinawa) and is called the "national treasure" of the island. They look similar to the Kai Ken, but their history remains a bit more unclear. These dogs were likely bred to hunt and track wild boars on the Japanese island.

Shiba Inu

The Shiba Inu is probably the most well-known Japanese breed, possibly due to the Doge meme. They are small to medium-sized independent and active dogs.

Hachiko was a real dog who lived in Tokyo in the early 1900s. After his owner passed away, he continued to wait for his owner at a train station everyday. Hachiko became famous for his loyalty and devotion.

Today, the spirited, good-natured Shiba is the most popular companion dog in Japan. The adaptable Shiba is at home in town or country. Brought to America from Japan as recently as 60 years ago, Shibas are growing in popularity in the West and are already the most popular breed in their homeland.

“Inugami” is the name of that mythical devil, embodied here by a statue. For more than 1,000 years, Japan's been plagued by these dangerous dogs which, according to Japanese folklore, are believed to possess a person and then make them sick and malicious.

1. inu – 犬 – Dog. The word “inu”(犬) is the most common way to say dog in Japanese.

What dog breed lives the longest? ›

Among the 155 purebred breeds included in the dataset, Lancashire heelers tended to live the longest, with a median life expectancy of 15.4 years. Behind them were Tibetan spaniels (15.2 years), Bolognese (14.9 years), shiba inus (14.6 years) and papillons (14.5 years), to name a few.

犬（いぬ or inu）are the usual dogs we see around us. Known for their affection and loyalty and also trusted as watchdogs and hunting dogs, they have been around humans for some 800 years. The kunyomi(Japanese reading) is inu (いぬ) and the onyomi(Chinese Reading) for this kanji is ken（けん）.

Gere and the Akita dog actors truly grew to love each other. This was evident on screen as they bonded and showed Hachi's commitment and love for the professor, just as in real life.

After his death, Hachikō's remains were cremated and his ashes were buried in Aoyama Cemetery, Minato, Tokyo where they rest beside those of Hachikō's beloved master, Professor Ueno.

The movie was based on the real Japanese Akita dog Hachikō, who was born in Ōdate, Japan, in 1923. After the death of his owner, Ueno Hidesaburō in 1925, Hachikō returned to the Shibuya train station the next day and every day after that for the next nine years until he died in March 1935.

There are, in fact, two canine spirits with prominent roles in Japanese mythology. Observant tourists can spot statues of the Inugami dog and the Kitsune fox at many temples across Japan. These creatures are part of a group of supernatural monsters known as Yokai in Japanese mythology.

Like the komainu ("lion dogs"), the shisa are a variation of the guardian lions from China. From the Edo period, they started to be called "guardian dogs" in general in mainland Japan. Gender is variously assigned to the shisa.

Hachiko was a real dog who lived in Tokyo in the early 1900s. After his owner passed away, he continued to wait for his owner at a train station everyday. Hachiko became famous for his loyalty and devotion.

The earliest-known migrants to Japan, the Jomon people, are thought to have brought dogs to the Japanese archipelago some ten to twelve thousand years ago. The oldest dog skeletal remains discovered in Japan date from 9,500 before present (B.P.).