Shikoku Inu
Kochi Ken, Shikoku Ken
The Shikoku Inu is one of six native Japanese dogs that in Japan are classified by size because they are so similar in type. The Akita Inu is the only large breed and the Shiba Inu the small. The last four are medium, Kai Ken, Hokkaido Inu, Kishu Ken, and Shikoku. The Shikoku Inu is named for the island of Shikoku, Inu simply translates to ‘dog’.
Traditionally the Shikoku Inu was used to hunt large game such as boar and deer.
Traditionally the Shikoku Inu was used to hunt large game such as boar and deer.
Shikoku Inu Standards
- 17-21"
- 35-50 lbs
- medium-sized spitz
- erect, triangular ears
- tail can be sickle shaped or curled over back
- double-coated, outer coat is straight and harsh
- black sesame
- red sesame
- sesame
History of the Shikoku Inu
Considered to be the most primitive of the native Japanese Breeds, the Shikoku Inu is also the most rare. Due to their appearance legend persists that they are descended from the Japanese Wolf. However, there is no evidence to support this. They developed on the smallest of the Japanese islands, Shikoku, isolated for centuries. At one point three different varieties were identified, the Awa, the Hongawa, and the Hata, each named for a specific location. Named as a Natural Monument in 1937 their numbers have remained dangerously low and some fear their extinction.
Related Breeds: