Hunting and the Nihon Ken

The Japanese dog is first and foremost, a hunting dog. It is often said that a Nihon Ken that does not hunt, is not a true Nihon Ken. Hunting is the sole reason these breeds were born, and it is the reason they still exist today. The entire standard for these breeds was written to preserve the traits seen in a sound working dog. Temperament should be strong and bold, but balanced with calm confidence, as the words 'kan-i' and 'ryosei' in the standard suggest. Structure should be athletic, showing strength, power, and agility, while movement should be light. And finally, 'soboku' describes the aura and look of the Japanese dog. It can be translated to mean an unadorned beauty, not showy or flashy, but having a natural and simplistic beauty. The hunting Nihon Ken is a beautiful animal.


Unfortunately the Nihon Ken of today is primarily bred for show, leading to a decrease in the number of capable working dogs. With the decrease in hunters in Japan, more and more dogs are bred with non-functional structure and temperaments. In Japan, the modern hunter more often than not owns one of the many purpose bred western breeds for hunting, and big game hunters often use 'ji-inu' which translates to 'local dog'. These breeds are often loosely based on the original Nihon Ken, which makes sense since the 6 Nihon Ken breeds were originally formed from dogs bought (or stolen!) from mountain hunters. These ji-inu are a mix and match of many breeds, and some also include blood from western breeds like hounds.


The hunting style in Japan has also changed over the years. Gone is the 'matagi' of old, the subsistence hunters who hunted large game, usually alone, and often with only 1 or 2 dogs. Today's hunter usually hunts in large group hunts (not unlike European driven hunts), with packs of dogs that flush out prey. The matagi hunted in a style known as 'nagashi-ryo' where the hunter and dog work together as a team, the dog keeping in close proximity to, and regularly checking in with, the hunter as they walked through the mountain, often for many miles.

The Nihon Ken is a hot nosed breed, meaning it only reacts to hot (fresh) tracks. The dog's job is to find the desired game, and to flush and then hold it at bay till the hunter arrives. Western breeds are often bred to a single hunting skill set. In the case of boar dogs for example, they can usually be split into catch dogs, and bay dogs (dogs that either attack and bite the boar to stop it, or dogs that run around the boar barking and dodging its charges). The Nihon Ken however is a different animal. These breeds are intelligent, with a strong prey drive, coupled with a strong natural survival instinct. They also have a great capacity to learn from experience. Dogs often develop their own balanced hunting style, combing baying with nipping and catching when necessary to stop the boar from running. They will also adjust their attack based on their evaluation of the strength of their quarry. One can often see a seasoned hunting Nihon Ken sizing up its opponent even before it can see it, based entirely on the animal's scent.

 
A professional hunter like the matagi had no interest in aggressive or overly forward dogs that would continually become injured when tackling dangerous game. They prized quality dogs that could be hunted solo or in pairs. More dogs means more mouths to feed, and for a matagi living in a small mountain community, feeding a large group of dogs would have required too much effort. The term 'ichijyu ikku' means 'one gun, one dog' essentially describing the matagi way of hunting. One man, and one dog, successfully bringing home meat for the table. A dog that can be hunted solo with a high success rate is a prized possession even today.

Each of the Nihon Ken specialized in hunting the type of prey inhabiting their region of origin. The Kai hunted Kamoshika (Chamois) high in the mountains of Yamanashi prefecture, which is why the breed is still the most agile of the Nihon Ken, and a terrific climber. Owners of the breed can attest to the breed's seeming love of heights and climbing, which make it a very difficult dog to keep confined. The Kishu were big game hunters, specializing in stopping boar in the mountains of Wakayama prefecture, and to this day many in the breed retain the temperament and instinct necessary to hunt this dangerous game. The breed is confident and not overly excitable, but once they are focused on their prey, they are fearless with seemingly endless stamina. The Shikoku hunted big game as well, in the high mountains known as the 'Tibet of Japan' on Shikoku island. Their athleticism, high energy, and tenacity are still evident in the breed today. The Shiba was used for hunting small game and birds, which means a fast, energetic dog was preferred. The Hokkaido specialized in hunting the dangerous Brown Bear, meaning a highly vocal and tenacious hunter, with the build and strength to move quickly through deep snow, was required. They also needed enough speed to hunt the large Ezo deer native to Hokkaido. The Akita, while greatly changed today from its ancestor the Matagi Ken, was once a medium sized hunting breed, working large game in the snowy mountainous north of Honshu.

While to my mind all the breeds have their specialties when it comes to hunting, truth be told all 6 of the Japanese breeds were all round hunters. A subsistence hunter is not too particular about what he puts on the table, and the Nihon Ken of today will hunt just about anything it is allowed to. I have seen Shiba working boar, Kai hunting birds, Kishu hunting bear, Akita hunting boar, Hokkaido hunting boar, and Shikoku hunting badgers. These are intelligent, athletic, and versatile hunters.


To truly appreciate and understand the totality of the Nihon Ken, one must understand and respect its heritage. The traits that draw us to these breeds are there because of generations upon generations of selection, some of it human, but much of it natural, which created this magnificent, yet primitive hunter. If we are to preserve these breeds, selecting only for show will destroy them, leaving only a shell, a beautiful dog that has lost its soul.

Comments

  1. Thanks for sharing, really interesting! It explains the high prey-drive and independence that really stand out in these dogs.

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  2. Beautiful write-up, Shigeru. Nicely done.

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  3. Excellent post.

    Shared it with the other spitz-hunters international.

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  4. We can feel your passion about nihon ken and hunting through your wonderful article

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  5. Very good blog post as always and I so agree!

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  6. Absolutely fascinating read, brilliant.

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  7. Thanks everyone. I was asked by a Nihon Ken club in Europe to write an article about hunting with the Japanese dog, and a 16 hour lay over in Moscow was just enough to get me from start to finish.

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  8. Great article! It would be a dream to hunt with the Nihon Ken. I'm definite on having a Shikoku next, but was wondering if it'll be suitable for hunting birds. This article made me hopeful!

    However, will the Nihon Ken collect the prey (bird) for me, if it were to fall into a tricky place such as a lake? Or is it merely a matter of training.

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    1. Generally the Nihon Ken do not make good retrievers, as they do not have 'soft mouths'. However I do know of a Kai that was trained in the US as a bird dog, in the traditional western style, and while he was never going to be spectacular when compared to a purpose bred western breed, he is a functional, retrieving, bird dog.

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    2. Thank you for the reply! So it might be possible, but I shouldn't count on it. Hunting will mainly be a way to enjoy nature with a dog, so there's no need for a highly trained dog anyways. Retrieving would be helpful, but I also want to respect the heritage and nature of the breed.

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    3. I wonder if Nihon Ken's hunting behaviour is similar to a Laika, but in my experience, one cannot rely on them to retrieve. Mine will do it, but he is not bomb-proof. Sometimes he will retrieve, sometimes he won't. The only reliable aspect about him is that he will indicate where the bird is.

      His behaviour is no different from YouTube videos of other bird-barking dogs either: when the prey fall to the ground, the dog goes to the bird and either stand and wait for the hunter to walk over and collect it, or the dog starts playing with the bird which the hunter then collects from the dog's mouth.

      I would imagine it's the same for Nihon Ken. They don't retrieve, but they mark where the bird has fallen.

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  9. Thank you. I have 2 shibas. My bitch is an natural huntress; my boy naturally lazy. However he has learnt from the bitch and they will work a trail together with some successes..a mouse or pheasant.
    The boy will leave his throphy...the girl would rather eat it than give it up.

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    1. It's always interesting to see what drives individual dogs, and how that drive affects their behavior.

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  10. Thanks for a wonderful article, Shigeru.

    Britain

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  11. Wow, now it makes sense... if Nihon Ken can have issues w/ getting along w/ other dogs (like you mention how you have to separate - very different world for us prior siberian huskies owners - everyone is a potential pal). I pictured our shiba's ancestors in small packs hunting, now I know the Japanese hunters were more judicious than that. It all makes sense. How much time do you have to spend on recall on breeds, always warned "don't let off leash" (American hunting dogs, "pleasers", tend to stick around more)?
    Loved the historical hunting insight (primal!) and boar pics, especially being a 25+ year falconer. Like the old Japanese, it's usually just me and the falcon, no dog (I am the poor imitation of a dog).
    Tim

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    1. I realized I do make it sound like all hunters only used 1 or 2 dogs. Not necessarily the case, since plenty do hunt with packs nowadays (and I'm sure they did in the past as well). However, it is a thing of pride to be able to hunt successfully with less dogs.

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  12. Hi japannese hunters,

    We are a huntinggroup of four dutch hunters.
    We have a huntingground in germany.
    We have al are own company.
    We are looking for 1or 2 japanese hunters to hunt with us.
    We are hunting roedeer and wild boar.
    Intrested? React at harpij.projectservices@kpnplanet.nl

    Grettings Eric

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    1. That's very interesting, Eric.
      If I'm ever in Europe I'd love to visit and see how you hunt over there. What time of year is the season, and what type of dogs do you use?
      My email is kato.the.walrus@gmail.com

      Cheers,
      Shigeru Kato

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  13. Iv a two year old , Brindle tiger stripe Akita Inu . We regularly do two to three hour hikes in our local river valley . Here in Edmonton Alberta , our river valley system has over a thousand miles of trails within it . Iv to keep her on the lead since I am still in a park environment . She's a very high prey drive on the trail . Iv her on a 28 foot heavy lead .. Often Im running full tilt behind her when I do let her take the front . We'v scared up boar , coyote , cougar , lynx and deer . She's relentless on the scent . And Iv been amazed by her agility and balance .. running across logs and up and down the steepest ledges . Iv many years of back country hiking behind me , yet Iv not ever hunted . Watching her on the trail makes me a bit sad . I really want to let her , and myself have that experience . Iv not any clue of how to start . Here in Ab Canada , I do not know of anyone who hunts with dogs . . I let her off the lead only when far out of the city . On a lake bed when frozen , she will run for miles . Id have to say now that I know an Akita Inu , Im not likely to ever look for another breed of dog . Love this article , Thank you for giving me food for thought , and some information which is new to me .

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