# Hokkaido Inu

> Produced the first American Hokkaido litter from Ginko and Yizo, imported from bear-hunting kennel.

## Hokkaido Inu

The Hokkaido Inu, also known as the Ainu Ken, originates from Hokkaido. Renowned for its bravery, the Hokkaido Inu was used to hunt bears and deer. The breed was declared a Living Natural Monument in 1937 and is known for its robust build, longer coat, and various colors, including white, red, black, brindle, sesame, and grey.

I played a crucial role in preserving the Hokkaido breed in America. Before my efforts, very few representatives of the breed were in the U.S. I imported a female named Ginko from the last bear-hunting kennel in Hokkaido, followed by a brindle male named Yizo. Their union produced the first Hokkaido litter in America, marking a significant milestone in the breed's preservation.

### How Others Can Help:

*   Import Hokkaido Inu from reputable breeders in Japan.
*   Promote the breed's unique qualities and history.
*   Support preservation societies dedicated to the Hokkaido Inu.

## Shigeru's perspective

My partner Shigeru Kato wrote the Hokkaido Ken section of the 2012 PADS Journal article we co-authored (see `topics/nihon-ken-pads-article.md`). The Hokkaido is the most "primitive" of the Nihon Ken genetically — closest to the early Jomon-period dog population — and the breed-evaluation tradition still includes live-bear hunting tests at shows. Shigeru's November 2025 "Human Bear Conflict in Japan" post puts the working Hokkaido in current context: as bear encounters in Japan spike, working bear dogs become practical infrastructure again, not just a heritage breed. See `topics/nihon-ken-japanese-hunting-culture.md`. More at [nihonken.co](https://www.nihonken.co/).

Source: [nihonken.co](https://www.nihonken.co/) — Shigeru Kato.

## Details

- **Category:** Breeds
- **Tags:** hokkaido-inu, hokkaido, nihon-ken, hunting, preservation, import, bear-hunting
- **Region:** Japan — Hokkaido

**Also read:** [All breeds](https://bradanderson.org/breeds?format=md) · [About Brad](https://bradanderson.org/about?format=md)

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