Preface

Far away from the sea, high in the mountains of Japan, there is a town named Kawakami. The town's name was derived from an ancient Japanese word, "kami" (神), which meant preeminent, spirit, mind, or even god. In the now-ancient Japanese religion, Shinto, such "kami" began to be venerated around 2,300 years ago, and these kami represented forces of nature, and became ancestors of ancient clans. Such is the case with the Kawakami; theirs was a holy clan.

In the 20th century, to save their six surviving native dog breeds, the government of Japan passed a law which protected the Akita, the Kishu and Kai, the Shiba, and the Shikoku and Hokkaido. Others have been recognized, such as the Ryukyu, the Mikawa, and the Satsuma.

But there is another native breed that is older and less recognized, one that is descended directly from wolves… the Kawakami.

In 1921, the Kawakami were declared a living national treasure. After cross-breeding and a two-decade revocation of the designation, the Kawakami are again considered a protected dog. Only a few hundred of these extraordinary dogs remain, and many of them still live near the home of their ancestors, in the village of Kawakami.

Join us, and come to understand their tale.

Edit this page on GitHub Updated at Sat, Apr 23, 2022