Awa, Hongawa, Hata

Two Socks

Does anyone know if there is any differences between the three varieties of shikoku? I understand that these are the regions of origin and that the Hongawa variety is known to have the highest degree of purity. Can anyone expand on this for me?

BradA1878

It's my understanding that the differences in type between the 3 "types" were based on the terrain and game they hunted. I recall being told (or reading) that the Hongawa was used for deer hunting while the other types were boar hunters (I could the type mixed up tho). The boar type would obviously be more robust and aggressive while the deer type would be taller and less aggressive, this is a trend seen in most hunting breeds that were split to hunt different game.

Having said all that, I was told by a (Japanese) Shikoku Ken breeder that the types are nonexistent now, he said they have all been mixed together to create the Shikoku as we know it today.

The hunting types stem from the Edo period, when the dogs where still heavily used for hunting, and before the Tosa Inu (as we know it) was created (and when the Shikoku was know as the Tosa Inu). The types have been lost for years - same applies to the Kai.

I have noticed a trend (looking at pictures), that the Shikoku Ken show breeders (or judges) in Japan seem to prefer the deer type - the Shikoku Ken seems to be getting taller and thinner over there. Look at the recent videos and pics from NIPPO shows - you will see what I mean. Perhaps they prefer this look because it is reminiscent of the "purer" Hongawa type - just a guess.

Anytime a dog breed is referred to as "pure" I LOL.

Perhaps Shigeru can add to this.

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Nekopan

From here:

The Shikoku owes its pedigree to three distinct lines: Hata,
Honkawa and Awa.
Founding the Hata line was ‘Gomago’, who was born in
1934. He obtained a Best in Show title in 1940. The principle
elements of the Hata animals included a generally
heavier, stockier build and thick, more profuse coats.
Skulls tended to be broad and ears were tidy and small, but
counterbalancing these virtues were the faults of longer
coat, inferior eye colour and shape, and ponderous movement.
The flip side of the coin was evidenced by the Honkawa
strain, whose foundation dog ‘Choushungo’ was also
born in the same year. These dogs were characterized by
light, flawless movement, long, strong limbs with excellent
angulation, good ear set and correct eye colour. Their outer
coats were harsh and weatherproofing, but they lacked the
protective undercoat of the Hata animals. Honkawa Shikoku
also tended to a slender, more elegant build, which
corrupted the impression of ‘Sobuku’, but ultimately it ws
this strain that was t o influence the direction of the breed as
we know it today. In 1937, shortly before the outbreak of
World War II, the Japanese government declared the Shikoku
a Living National Monument. It was also during this
decade that the breed was characterized as Shiba Inu, or
‘medium dog’, joining the brindle Kai, Ainu and snow—
white Kishu varieties. All of these breeds were and still
are, hunting spitzes, differentiated mainly but their colour.
The desired height for the Shikoku is 17– 21 inches, or if
you prefer, 52 cms/dogs and 46 cms/bitches, with a rand of
+/- 3 cms.
To what would prove its great fortune, the relative isolation
in which the Shikoku lived enabled it to escape much of the
war’s ravages. With pockets of purebred examples to work
with there was no need to introduce the blood of other
breeds, as was the case in many other nations.
Unfortunately, however, the Awa line of dogs was to virtually
disappear during this time.

Two Socks

That's very interesting, thnx!

ayk

Don't know about Shikoku trends, but in Shibas, there was a shift from the stockier, shorter-muzzled dogs to the leggier ones. What I was told was that this is because NIPPO tightened their stance on missing teeth in Shibas. One successful show line, that had a reputation for missing teeth, happened to be stouter with a shorter face. Though individual dogs of the same line could have complete dentition and were still within NIPPO type, breeders started to go away from that line. Some breeders even left that style completely as they started believing short muzzle = no room for complete dentition.

TheWalrus

Choushungo

CrimsonO2

That Choushungo do gis beautiful. Now there's a dog with a bearing that far deceives you of his actual size. He means business.

Jesse