Shikoku Dog

One of the six primitive dog breeds native to Japan, the Shikoku was domesticated by Matagi (Japanese traditional hunters) sometime in the 1700s. Today, people mainly have these dogs as companions and watchdogs.

This breed is also referred to as the Kochi-ken, or simply “ken” or “inu,” which means “dog” in Japanese. They are also sometimes called Mikawa Inu or Japanese Wolfdog. Like the other primitive Japanese dog breeds, these dogs are rare, even in their home country.