Kishu
Encyclopedia
The , sometimes called Kishu Ken or Kishu Inu, is a Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
ese breed of dog
Dog
The domestic dog is a domesticated form of the gray wolf, a member of the Canidae family of the order Carnivora. The term is used for both feral and pet varieties. The dog may have been the first animal to be domesticated, and has been the most widely kept working, hunting, and companion animal in...
, developed there for thousands of years. It is descended from ancient medium-sized breeds and named after the Kishu region
Kii Province
, or , was a province of Japan in the part of Honshū that is today Wakayama Prefecture, as well as the southern part of Mie Prefecture. Kii bordered Ise, Izumi, Kawachi, Shima, and Yamato Provinces. The Kii Peninsula takes its name from this province....
, now Wakayama Prefecture
Wakayama Prefecture
is a prefecture of Japan located on the Kii Peninsula in the Kansai region on Honshū island. The capital is the city of Wakayama.- History :Present-day Wakayama is mostly the western part of the province of Kii.- 1953 Wakayama Prefecture flood disaster :...
. This breed is similar to the Akita Inu and the Shiba Inu
Shiba Inu
The is the smallest of the six original and distinct breeds of dog from Japan.A small, agile dog that copes very well with mountainous terrain, the Shiba Inu was originally bred for hunting. It is similar in appearance to the Akita, though much smaller in stature...
but predates both breeds . Sometimes it is mistaken for the white variant of Hokkaido
Hokkaido (dog)
The is a breed of dog. Other names for the breed include Ainu-ken and Seta. In Japan, its name is sometimes shortened to Dō-ken. The Hokkaido is native to the prefecture of the same name in Japan.-Appearance:...
or a white Japanese Spitz
Japanese Spitz
The is a small to medium breed of dog of the Spitz type. The Japanese Spitz is a companion dog and pet. There are varying standards around the world as to the ideal size of the breed, but they are always larger than their smaller cousins, the Pomeranian. They were developed in Japan in the 1920s...
because of very similar appearance. The Japanese originally used this breed of dog for boar and deer hunting. Like the Shiba, they are often quiet. Kishu will stalk prey quietly rather than bark.
Appearance
The Kishu stands 17-22 inches tall, averages 30-60 pounds and is considered a medium sized dog. The coat color is generally white. There are still occasional brindle or red Kishus in Japan, but the preferred coat color, and the only one seen in show dogs, is white. The nose color is primarily black, but with the white coat the nose can be brownish or pink in color. The bite is either scissor or a level bite. The tail is curled over the back like that of an Akita or Shiba Inu. The coat is short, straight, and coarse with a thick undercoat. There is fringe on the cheeks and tail. The ears incline forward and are smaller rather than larger. This breed is tough, agile, and friendly.Temperament
Kishu Kens are a one person/one family dog. They are courageous and brave as hunters, and will be loyal to their owners. They have a strong prey drive, and will hunt small animals. They do well with other dogs, however, if socialized well as puppies, but due to their pack instincts they might cause some fights for dominance. They are quite headstrong and willful, making training necessary, but they are devoted and loyal to family, getting along well with children, if raised with them. Kishu Kens like to keep an eye on whatever is going on, and sometimes find a high place to look out from. They can be aloof or shy around strangers. They are easily housebroken, intelligent, and strong willed.Grooming
The Kishu should be brushed weekly to keep their fur mat free and clean. Bathe them as necessary, depending on how dirty they are. Their ears should be checked routinely for wax build up, infection or dirt. Their nails should also be trimmed regularly. Kishu Kens shed once or twice a year, making grooming at these times needed.Exercise
The Kishu needs adequate space to roam and exercise, meaning a house with a yard or urban environment with a fence. They need regular exercise on a leash, taking walks or runs. They can also be given a job to do such as herding to satisfy their exercise.History
The Kishu is a Foundation Stock breed with the American Kennel ClubAmerican Kennel Club
The American Kennel Club is a registry of purebred dog pedigrees in the United States. Beyond maintaining its pedigree registry, this kennel club also promotes and sanctions events for purebred dogs, including the Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show, an annual event which predates the official...
. The American Kishu Registry is the official Kishu registry in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
and is recognized as such by AKC. Other registries include Japan Kennel Club
Japan Kennel Club
The Japan Kennel Club is the primary registry body for purebred dog pedigrees in Japan. The JKC also promotes events such as conformation shows and obedience trials for purebred dogs and confers championship and other titles in conformation, obedience and similar competitions, and certifies and...
(JKC) and Nihonken Hozonkai (Nippo), both in Japan. The Kishu is recognized as a natural monument of Japan, thus export of the Kishu from Japan is severely restricted. Since this breed is so rare in North America
North America
North America is a continent wholly within the Northern Hemisphere and almost wholly within the Western Hemisphere. It is also considered a northern subcontinent of the Americas...
and Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
, you may only get a chance to see him in his native homeland, Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
. There are only two known breeders outside of Japan—one in Texas
Texas
Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
and one in the Netherlands
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
.
Manga
The works of mangaManga
Manga is the Japanese word for "comics" and consists of comics and print cartoons . In the West, the term "manga" has been appropriated to refer specifically to comics created in Japan, or by Japanese authors, in the Japanese language and conforming to the style developed in Japan in the late 19th...
artist Yoshihiro Takahashi
Yoshihiro Takahashi
is a Japanese manga artist. He writes under a pen name in which his first name Yoshihiro is spelled out in hiragana .Takahashi was born September 18, 1953, in Higashinaruse, Akita. He was very interested in drawing growing up and, in the 60's, started publishing small comics in several newspapers...
feature many Kishu, characterizing them as skilled fighters.
- Akame of Ginga: Nagareboshi GinGinga: Nagareboshi GinGinga: Nagareboshi Gin Silver") is an adventure manga by Yoshihiro Takahashi. It was published by Shueisha in Weekly Shōnen Jump from 1983 to 1987, and collected in 18 bound volumes...
- Kyōshirō of Ginga Legend WeedGinga Legend Weedis a Japanese manga series written and illustrated by Yoshihiro Takahashi. It is a sequel to Takahashi's 1980s manga Ginga: Nagareboshi Gin, and focuses on Weed, an Akita-Kishu mix and the son of Gin, the original series' protagonist. Weed, named after the English word for wild plant, leaves his...
. Also Sakura, the main character's mother, was a Kishu mix. This makes Weed, the main character, a Kishu/Akita mix—his father Gin was an Akita. - Gamu, Kusakage, Shiba, Tsuchigumo, Oboro, and Honō, the Ganin warriors of Kacchū no Senshi GamuKacchu no Senshi Gamuis a Japanese manga series by Yoshihiro Takahashi, which was serialized in the magazine Monthly Shōnen Jump.-Protagonist Dogs:Gamu - 雅武: The son of the legendary Honoo and the present leader of the Kagero Ninja Dogs. When growing up, he befriended the wolf named Vermond and the two shared a strong...
.