The Hokkaido inu, one of the oldest and wildest canines of Japanese heritage, is a brave, agile, and powerful breed used for guarding, hunting, and sledding.
Outside of Japan, this breed is relatively uncommon. The Hokkaido is a devoted, respectable dog with lots of stamina and endurance.
One of the six indigenous Japanese breeds, the Kai ken hunted a variety of animals in Japan's Kai highlands. Another uncommon breed is the highly intelligent, eager-to-please one.
These dogs are devoted and reliable protectors of their households. The Kai ken has a strong desire to hunt and is athletic. When pursuing their prey, they may swim over rivers and can even climb trees.
The valiant Ryukyu inu, a rare breed that is both docile and brave, is a native of Okinawa, one of Japan's southern islands.
They resemble the Kai ken in appearance, but little is known about their past. They were probably developed on the Japanese island to hunt and follow wild boars.
In order to create the Japanese spitz, different spitz-type canines from Australia, Canada, China, Siberia, and the United States were crossed in Japan throughout the 1920s and 1930s.
The specifics of the dog's breeding programme are unknown because records about it were lost during World War Two.
The Kishu ken evolved from hardy, medium-sized dogs that once roamed the Japanese mountains. They served as a "memory of nature" and were used for boar and mule deer hunting.
The Kishu's development and breeding are well known for the Wakayama area. Because they were simpler to spot, the hunters favoured white.
A primitive English smooth fox terrier crossed with a variety of indigenous Japanese tiny breeds, finally giving birth to Italian greyhounds, around 1700, during the Edo Period.
They were almost completely wiped out by World War II and the popularity of other Western breeds. They are a sociable, athletic little breed that still hunts boar today.