Breed History
There was believed to be a movement of people between Europe and Japan when the two areas were not separated by the Sea of Japan; this is likely to be how dogs were introduced to Japan. Dog paw prints found in Jomon period (8000 to 300 BC) pit houses suggests that dogs were raised as pets inside homes as early as 3,000 years ago. The paw prints measured 4.3 to 5.7 cm long and suggest that these dogs were of medium size. Dog bones were commonly found in graves of this era.
The Japanese Akita Inu originated in the Tohuko area of Japan. The most northerly region of mainland Japan, adjoining hr Chubu and Kanto regions. It sits below the Hokkaido (island) region and comprises of six prefectures; they are: Aomori, Iwate, Miyagi, Fukushima, Yamagata and of course Akita.
The ancestral home of the Akita is Odate city and its surrounding countryside in Akita prefecture. Records of this can be found well back in history. Odate has long been known as a 'Dog Town' in the Tokoku District. Several names have been used in describing the Akita breed. They were known as 'Odate-Inu' and 'Kazuno-Inu' in their respective areas of Northern Akita Province. They were also known as 'Nambu Inu' from the name of the district as it was known in the Han period (2020BC - 16AD). Collectively they were known as the 'Regional Dog'. Of these regional dogs, those living in towns and used for fighting were known as 'Kuwae-Inu' or 'Kuriya-Inu' in the local dialect, while others that were used for hunting in the countryside and mountains were known as 'Matagi-Inu'. The dogs themselves were more or less alike. They were all Japanese dogs, which had been bred in these areas since ancient times. These were the ancestors of today's Japanese Akita-Inu and Akita.
Japanese dogs can be categorised into the following strains which are: far-northern, mid-northern and southern. Of these the far-northern strains, which arrived with humans, have a thick coat, much substance and a thick tail curled over the back. The representatives of this far-northern strain is the Japanese Akita-Inu.
Tokugawa era (1612-1868). In this era, around 1630, an Akita Matagi (bear hunting dog) sometimes referred to as Matagi-Inu, became known in the Tohoku Area. Akita Matagi is believed to be the origin of today's Japanese Akita Inu. Owned only by the Shogun (Imperial leaders) and used to track and hold large game until the hunters arrived to make the kill. Game such as elk, Antelope, Wild Boar and the Yezo bear were regularly hunted. This gave rise to the tenacious character of the dogs we know now. Around 1783 (Tenmei ear) there was a famine; it claimed 7000 lives in Akita-Han alone. Known as the 'Rabbit Year Starvation' it brought about a revolt causing unstable social conditions and much anxiety among the residents and forced them to prepare for self-defence. The first step was to acquire a guard dog which meant using the Matagi-Inu for a different purpose. The primary requirement for a good hunting dog is its ability to perform the required tasks. For guard dogs, however, an imposing appearance is probably more important. It is assumed that the preference for larger and more substantial dogs influenced breeding, thus resulting in a gradual increase in the size of the dogs. This laid the foundation for a large sized Japanese dog called the Akita (American Akita). Since that time it has been traditional for people in this area to keep dogs. Matagi kept hunting dogs while wealthy farmers and influential families kept guard dogs.
In 1909 Masataka Mori, the then governor of Akita prefecture, exacted an ordinance to prohibit dog fighting. Public opinion gradually favoured preserving this breed; especially among professors and learned people. In 1919, the law for the preservation of natural monuments was established.
Early in the Showa era (1925 - 1989), the Odate town manager, Mr Shigeie Izumi, was very anxious about the cross-breeding of Odate dogs with other dogs, the Akita name wasn't given until 1931. In an effort to preserve the purity of the Odate breed, he established the Akita-Inu Preservation Society (AKIHO) in 1927.
In 1931, nine or so original dogs were designated as natural monuments and the breed became widely popular. On its designation, the Akita (Japanese Akita Inu) was so named for the first time as a Japanese dog.
The Japanese Akita Inu originated in the Tohuko area of Japan. The most northerly region of mainland Japan, adjoining hr Chubu and Kanto regions. It sits below the Hokkaido (island) region and comprises of six prefectures; they are: Aomori, Iwate, Miyagi, Fukushima, Yamagata and of course Akita.
The ancestral home of the Akita is Odate city and its surrounding countryside in Akita prefecture. Records of this can be found well back in history. Odate has long been known as a 'Dog Town' in the Tokoku District. Several names have been used in describing the Akita breed. They were known as 'Odate-Inu' and 'Kazuno-Inu' in their respective areas of Northern Akita Province. They were also known as 'Nambu Inu' from the name of the district as it was known in the Han period (2020BC - 16AD). Collectively they were known as the 'Regional Dog'. Of these regional dogs, those living in towns and used for fighting were known as 'Kuwae-Inu' or 'Kuriya-Inu' in the local dialect, while others that were used for hunting in the countryside and mountains were known as 'Matagi-Inu'. The dogs themselves were more or less alike. They were all Japanese dogs, which had been bred in these areas since ancient times. These were the ancestors of today's Japanese Akita-Inu and Akita.
Japanese dogs can be categorised into the following strains which are: far-northern, mid-northern and southern. Of these the far-northern strains, which arrived with humans, have a thick coat, much substance and a thick tail curled over the back. The representatives of this far-northern strain is the Japanese Akita-Inu.
Tokugawa era (1612-1868). In this era, around 1630, an Akita Matagi (bear hunting dog) sometimes referred to as Matagi-Inu, became known in the Tohoku Area. Akita Matagi is believed to be the origin of today's Japanese Akita Inu. Owned only by the Shogun (Imperial leaders) and used to track and hold large game until the hunters arrived to make the kill. Game such as elk, Antelope, Wild Boar and the Yezo bear were regularly hunted. This gave rise to the tenacious character of the dogs we know now. Around 1783 (Tenmei ear) there was a famine; it claimed 7000 lives in Akita-Han alone. Known as the 'Rabbit Year Starvation' it brought about a revolt causing unstable social conditions and much anxiety among the residents and forced them to prepare for self-defence. The first step was to acquire a guard dog which meant using the Matagi-Inu for a different purpose. The primary requirement for a good hunting dog is its ability to perform the required tasks. For guard dogs, however, an imposing appearance is probably more important. It is assumed that the preference for larger and more substantial dogs influenced breeding, thus resulting in a gradual increase in the size of the dogs. This laid the foundation for a large sized Japanese dog called the Akita (American Akita). Since that time it has been traditional for people in this area to keep dogs. Matagi kept hunting dogs while wealthy farmers and influential families kept guard dogs.
In 1909 Masataka Mori, the then governor of Akita prefecture, exacted an ordinance to prohibit dog fighting. Public opinion gradually favoured preserving this breed; especially among professors and learned people. In 1919, the law for the preservation of natural monuments was established.
Early in the Showa era (1925 - 1989), the Odate town manager, Mr Shigeie Izumi, was very anxious about the cross-breeding of Odate dogs with other dogs, the Akita name wasn't given until 1931. In an effort to preserve the purity of the Odate breed, he established the Akita-Inu Preservation Society (AKIHO) in 1927.
In 1931, nine or so original dogs were designated as natural monuments and the breed became widely popular. On its designation, the Akita (Japanese Akita Inu) was so named for the first time as a Japanese dog.
