Japanese Dogs: Akita, Shiba, and Other Breeds (Hardcover)

~ Michiko Chiba (Author), Lucy North (Translator) "The term Japanese dog, or Nihonken, officially refers to just six of the breeds introduced here: the Akita, Shiba, Kishu, Shikoku, Kai, and Hokkaido, since..." (more)
Key Phrases: indigenous dogs, sickle tail, dog enthusiasts, Jomon Shiba, Protected Species, Professor Ueno (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Review

"unique, informative, and beautifully illustrated book." -- Library Journal, October 1, 2003

Part coffee-table book and part reference book, [this book is] informative and helpful when choosing a particular breed. -- Star Newspapers, October 9, 2003

Product Description

JAPANESE DOGS introduces the ten main breeds--the Akita, Shiba, Kishu, Shikoku, Kai, Hokkaido, Japanese Spitz, Japanese Terrier, Chin, and Tosa Fighting Dog. It shows each of these ten dogs in stunning color photographs and describes in detail each dog's distinctive physical characteristics, temperament, and behavior.

The book traces the history of the largest organization in Japan for preserving and protecting the breeds--known as Nippo--as well as the Nippo Standard for the Japanese Dog and the way that judging is conducted at Nippo shows. It traces the history of the dog in Japan, including the two times in the twentieth century when--due first to war and then a distemper epidemic--all the breeds were in imminent danger of extinction, and how they were brought back to their current numbers and level of popularity.

JAPANESE DOGS outlines the dogs' traditional use--still sometimes seen in the countryside--as partners in hunting wild animals such as boar and bear. It describes the close bond that was essential between hunter and hunting dog, and the way that this capacity for bonding has been bred into the dogs for generations, so that today too, as pets, they tend to be boundlessly loyal.

The book includes stories about well-known dogs like Hachiko, the Akita who waited outside a Tokyo train station every evening for his master's return for nearly ten years after the master had passed away, until the dog's own death; Hachiko is commemorated in a statue that stands outside that same station. Or Tama, the Shiba that saved her owner--a hunter in snowy, mountainous country--from being buried in snow not just once, but three times.

The book also describes an unusual breed, the Jomon Shiba--a contemporary dog that has been bred, on the basis of fossil remains, to resemble as closely as possible a long-extinct breed from Paleolithic times. Much more wolflike and regal-looking than the wildly popular Shiba, this dog has also gained many devoted fanciers, although it is completely unknown to most Japanese people.

In addition to thirty-two pages of color photos, JAPANESE DOGS is illustrated throughout with numerous black-and-white photos of other, lesser known breeds, scenes from dog shows, archaeological finds, and ukiyoe and other paintings.

JAPANESE DOGS is sure to be of interest to enthusiasts of any of the Japanese breeds, and to admirers of dogs everywhere.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 96 pages
• Publisher: Kodansha International; illustrated edition edition (August 15, 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 477002875X
• ISBN-13: 978-4770028754
• Product Dimensions: 10.7 x 7.5 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.3 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #714,420 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Great History and stories, September 8, 2003

By	fastfire "fastfire" (NJ - United States) - See all my reviews

This book does what the title says - describe Japanese dogs in good pictures and summaries. I've only owned a Shiba but I agree with EVERYTHING the author wrote about them. I also liked the tid-bits on dogs in the Asian region because I've run into a few Korean Jindo dogs. Her stories at the end were great to emphasize the 'personalities' of each breed.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A very good appetizer of a book but..., January 31, 2004

By	Fantastic (New York, NY USA) - See all my reviews

A good, well written, well translated overview of the various Japanese breeds, including the popular Shiba and Akita. The photos are gorgeous and I wish there were more. If I had one complaint about this book, it's that it left me wanting to read, and look at, more, so hence the not-quite-top rating. Also, this book presents the profoundly moving story of the legendary Hachiko and a few other tales of amazing dogs.

4.0 out of 5 stars A worthwhile book on the Japanese breeds, October 7, 2008

By	A. Cosenzo (Wilmington, DE United States) - See all my reviews

This is the best and most comprehensive book on all Japanese dog breeds that I've found.

This book covers all Japanese breeds - the Akita and Shiba of course, but also the Kishu, Shikoku, Kai, Hokkaido, Japanese Spitz, Chin, Terrier, and the Tosa fighting dog. It's easy to find information about the first two, but extremely difficult to find information about many of the other Japanese breeds.

This book has some great photos of all the breeds, including the hard to find Japanese Kai. I just wish there were more photos, or that the photos were printed larger, because they're all excellent!

It also has a lot of information about all the breeds listed, including the rare ones. It contains Japanese breed standard information, breed history, temperament and show information for all the breeds. It also contains prehistoric and genetic information about many of them, and a lot of trivia and stories about the breeds.

There is also a section with photos about the Japanese Ryukyu of Okinawa, another rare breed that's rarely written about in English.

A lot of the information in this book is available nowhere else in the English language, so if you're interested in Japanese breeds you probably want to pick this book up. I wish it had more pages for the cover price of $29.95, but I'm glad I purchased this book.

As a side note, it's important to note that the Akitas in this book are not the American Akitas or "Great Japanese Dog" as they're called in the UK. They're the traditional Japanese Akita which is a very different dog, so don't buy this book if you're looking for information or photos of the American Akita.