【秋山の狼室】
Akiyama no Roushya

NIPPO/AKC KISHU KEN & SHIKOKU KEN

About Akiyama no Roushya

Akiyama no Roushya is operated by with the help of family, co-owners, and close friends. C. J. has spent over a decade studying and learning about the breeds, their history, temperament, type, and health straight from breeders, judges, and Enthusiasts in Japan and through the Nihonken Hozonkai. An Akiyama no Roushya puppy is bred to the Nihonken Hozonkai standard first and foremost as Akiyama no Roushya is a Nihonken Hozonkai registered breeder first and foremost.C. J.'s journey started in 2014 when Kishu-Ken.org was published to bring as much unbiased information to English as possible from native Japanese sources, from early publications, and from scholarly articles. Shikoku Ken were added to the Akiyama no Roushya in 2020 after their first (O'IKon's Takoda) passing earlier in that year. The URL changed from kishu-ken.org to akiyamano.co to reflect the change.In their volunteer work for the breeds, C.J. served as voted-in president for the National Kishu Ken Club from its foundation until 2022 when they stepped down. From 2023 C.J. serves as board member and Pacific Northwest region representative for both the National Kishu Ken Club and American Shikoku Ken Club. C.J. has also been a long standing member of the volunteer rescue community since 2009 under various groups nationwide.

Writing, Work, & Features

In addition to being a contributing member to several social media groups, writing the foundation for both the Shikoku Ken and Kishu Ken parent club websites, writing the foundation for the Shikoku Ken and Kishu Ken AKC parent club breed standards, and contributing to countless other credited and uncredited breed education documents, C.J. has been published and credited in a handful of works for the Kishu Ken and Shikoku Ken breeds.Articles
"The Kishu Ken – A Wonderfully Wild Dog Living in a Modern World." Showsight Magazine, 26 October 2022, https://showsightmagazine.com/kishu-ken-wild-dog-living-in-modern-world/
"The Power of Popularity Trends: Inheritance Challenges of Yuushoku and White Coats in the Kishu Ken." Akiyama no Roushya, 23 April 2023Projects
"The Kishu Ken: Breed History & Expanded Resource." Draft finished. Editing phase. Expected release Winter 2026
"The Shikoku Ken: Breed History & Expanded Resource." Draft finished. Editing phase. Expected release Winter 2026Interviews & Features
Okazaki, Manami. “Japanese Dog Breeds.” Japan's Best Friend: Dog Culture in the Land of the Rising Sun, Prestel Verlag, Munich, 2022.

KISHU KEN AND SHIKOKU KEN

Which breed is right for me?

The Kishu Ken and Shikoku Ken have interwoven histories and very similar traits and qualities. Both dogs were developed as medium sized hounds from neighboring regions; Shikoku island is an island off the coast of the Kii peninsula. Both breeds are loyal and tenacious. Both breeds have a great off-switch that makes them easy to live with in the home. This list goes; the Kishu Ken and Shikoku Ken share many standard points as well.It wasn't until recent history that the breeds were divided from regional varieties of one landrace breed ("medium sized Nihonken" under NIPPO) and their historical interbreeding was disallowed. This tends to mean that although they are not entirely interchangeable, if you are a good home for one breed, you may be a good home for the other and the choice can come down to the smaller details.That said, there are modern trends within each population since their official splitting which make it more common to see some traits in one breed versus the other and these trends may spell out dealbreakers for a prospective individual puppy owner or family.

Essays could be written on the similarities between the breeds and so their differences become more important to illustrate. Keep in mind that because of they have shared a fundamental purpose and interwoven histories these differences may not apply to every individual in the two breeds! Plenty of overlap exists and can be very dependent on the line and parentage of the individual in question.One thing that requires mention for the similarities between the breeds is this: When looking at both the Shikoku Ken and the Kishu Ken, be prepared for training impulse control, particularly around prey animals and strange dogs!

THE PITCH

Generalizations and finer details...

One might describe the Kishu Ken as a lightning bolt: big and bold and racing to its destination from point A to point B as quickly as possible. The Shikoku Ken, then, reminds me of the oscillating devices during a Tesla demonstration: it performs the same general task, but in a more frenetic and chaotic way. Ultimately, both are electrical forces that are seeking the same thing.For those who do not visualize in that way:Are you an extrovert or always looking for a new big adventure? If you like dogs that will accompany you to the brewery, downtown, or a busy party and it's important that your dogs like friends and strangers alike, the Kishu Ken is your perfect match of the two. These social and exuberant dogs are enthusiastic hunters - whether that's on the trail for a good chase, good eats, or a new friend. Kishu Ken wear their heart on their sleeve and give their all in every endeavor. You'll never question how your Kishu Ken is feeling.Many Kishu Ken have a difficult time knowing when to quit their fun or activities and need help with their impulse control. They need to be taught how to quit while they're ahead. To successfully rear a Kishu Ken their partner and handler must advocate for their needs and intervene when it's time to eat a snickers or take a nap. A Kishu Ken over threshold can be difficult to spot because they do not shut down or stop taking reward and sometimes their stress escapes notice until they become a dragon or a shark.Maybe you're an introvert who prefers the company of good friends in a quiet space. The Shikoku Ken may enjoy your lifestyle. The Shikoku Ken is a sensitive soul who needs strong and kind socialization as a young dog and into adulthood to feel confident in many situations. Many dogs like the people they know and the comfort of familiarity. The Shikoku Ken wants to have fun in company they know the best. This does not mean they are demure or sedate: they are adrenaline and serotonin seekers waiting for their next rush, when they are their best selves.The Shikoku Ken tends to grow uncomfortable with the unknown and may withdraw within themselves when stressed. This may make it difficult to know when to step in and advocate for your Shikoku Ken or reward them when they need it most. This becomes challenging when raising a Shikoku Ken because if the person they trust most consistently fails to recognize their struggle, the Shikoku Ken may feel they need to advocate for themselves and become wary or aggressive with strangers.

SIDE BY SIDE STANDARDS

The following are English language standard-prototypes taken from the Nihon Ken Hozonkai and written in the language and format established by the American Kennel Club's standard writing documents. These standards are published on their respective breed parent club websites. The Nihon Ken Hozonkai standard is the basis for the standard brought to FCI through JKC, but lacks expanded material.It is up to the respective breed clubs (the National Kishu Ken Club & American Shikoku Ken Club) to establish their standards with the AKC.

  1. National Kishu Ken Club Standard - Kishu Ken standard for AKC by the national parent club

  2. American Shikoku Ken Club Standard - Shikoku Ken standard for AKC by the national parent club

For official standard material visit NIPPO, UKC, and FCI.

【秋山の狼室】
Akiyama no Roushya

NIPPO/AKC KISHU KEN & SHIKOKU KEN

Akiyama no Roushya is a NIPPO and FCI registered kennel dedicated to producing quality Kishu Ken and Shikoku Ken bred to the NIPPO standard and helping their respective breed clubs to advance the recognition of these rare breeds within the American Kennel Club and in the USA in general. This kennel is a not-for-profit endeavor, meaning this is our passion and hobby - we do not see any overhead from our breeding.We have owned Shikoku Ken since February 2013 and Kishu Ken since May 2014 after researching and learning about both breeds since September 2009. Our goal is to identify and import dogs of competitive breed type under the NIPPO standard, sound parent temperaments which suit our mission, and strategically valuable pedigree additions with health data available whenever possible.As of 2023 we have removed in-depth profiles on our dogs to minimize our website footprint. Images and video content can be found on our social media. All of our health testing is always made available on the OFA database and the pedigree database without suppressing failing results. Pertinent links to health testing and the pedigree database are made available on our listing.

KISHU KEN

On the following pages you will find our breeding and prospective breeding Kishu Ken. We have historically focused on diversity of the Kishu Ken and obtained or bred dogs of varying backgrounds to help sustain a US population of NIPPO-registered Kishu Ken. Akiyama no Roushya dogs are bred with this aforementioned diversity, the NIPPO standard, and producing moderate to high drive dogs which are easily motivated in mind as our goal. As a secondary goal, due to the prevalence of yuushoku coats in our production, we attempt to breed vibrant and more standard-fitting yuushoku dogs which may be competitive in the NIPPO ring.

Our Dogs

KISHU KEN STUDS/DOGS

Our Kishu Ken studs are a mixture of Nihonken Hozonkai registered dogs born and imported from Japan, born domestically at other breeders, or bred in-house at Akiyama no Roushya. Not all of our Kishu Ken part of our program at Akiyama no Roushya live with us. Other kennels which co-own with us will be linked in our dog profiles. We love our co-owners and guardian homes and appreciate the effort and energy they put into handling and caring for the dogs they allow us to access for breed preservation purposes.

MGP UKC CH

HAKUZAN NO SEKIROU GO HAKUZAN RYOUSOU

EXC ROMX

BIOCS MBIG IntCH UKC CH

AKIYAMA NO ROUSHYA TENROU GO

CM BCAT TKN ATT VC EXC

RACEA BIOCS MGP UKC CH

KATSUSABUROU GO TOMOE

CM BCAT VC

BIOCS

KASUGA GO
NAKA RYUUFUUSOU

(Post-Titles/Awards)

(Pre-TItles/Awards)

YAMATO GO
NAKA RYUUFUUSOU

(Post-Titles/Awards)

KISHU KEN DAMS/BITCHES

Our female Kishu Ken are a mixture of Nihonken Hozonkai registered dogs born and imported from Japan, born domestically at other breeders, or bred in-house at Akiyama no Roushya. Not all of our Kishu Ken part of our program at Akiyama no Roushya live with us. Other kennels which co-own with us will be linked in our dog profiles. We love our co-owners and guardian homes and appreciate the effort and energy they put into handling and caring for the dogs they allow us to access for breed preservation purposes. Some of these kennels may be the owner on the NIPPO pedigree which means puppies will be registered with their kennel name attached as NIPPO only allows one owner printed on the pedigree.

BIG MGP

AKIYAMA NO ROUSHYA KAIKI NO TOKUMINE GO

RATI ATT SPOT

MBIOC MRBIS MBIG/MGP UKC CH UWP

KATSUICHIME GO TOMOE

CM3 CA BCAT RATI RATN CGC ATT TKI VHMA VSWB FITB LCI VCX EXC

MBIOCS MBPIG

AKIYAMA NO ROUSHYA KAICHOU GO

CA BCAT TKN ATT FITB

BISSW BIS MRBIS MBIG MBPIG

AKIYAMA NO ROUSHYA SEIROUME GO

CGC ATT SPOT-ON

(Pre-titles)

YUKI NO ASAHIHIME GO NAKA RYUUFUUSOU

(Post-titles)

BPIS MBPIG

NEO GO KENYUAN

VSWB

SHIKOKU KEN

The breeding and prospective breeding Shikoku Ken at Akiyama no Roushya. There are many Shikoku Ken breeders in the USA who report that they focus on diversity and so this was not necessary for us to focus on like it was with the Kishu Ken. Akiyama no Roushya's focus in Shikoku Ken is to select for temperament and type and have acquired dogs which fit our vision of what a Shikoku Ken should be or should be able to accomplish.

SHIKOKU KEN STUDS/DOGS

Akiyama no Roushya keeps primarily female Shikoku Ken and uses outside studs. As a result, there are no dogs here at this time. All our prospective sires are located with private owners or other kennels. We seek NIPPO registered studs which compliment our intended dam and our ideas on Shikoku Ken temperament and NIPPO type

SHIKOKU KEN DAMS/BITCHES

Akiyama no Roushya keeps primarily female Shikoku Ken and uses outside studs. There are many Shikoku Ken breeders in the USA who report that they focus on diversity and so this was not necessary for us to focus on like it was with the Kishu Ken. Akiyama no Roushya's focus in our female Shikoku Ken and our Shikoku Ken program is to select for our vision of sound temperament, health, and strong type which is competitive to the NIPPO standard.

(Pre-title/Awards)

JIKINO KENSHA NO KATANA NO HIRA GO

(Post-title/awards)

(Pre-title/Awards)

AKIRYUUME GO
AOIYAMA SOU

VSWB*

ADOPTABLE KISHU KEN AND SHIKOKU KEN

Akiyama no Roushya courtesy lists available dogs who are in need of new homes. We would like to reiterate that these listings are courtesy listings only and that breeding dogs and available dogs listed on this website are not all owned by Akiyama no Roushya nor are they always located at our address, but may reside in homes nationwide.

NameSexDOBColorHome Type
Akiyama no Roushya Karasumaru go, "Winter"maleJuly 09 2017redPET (neutered), running/hiking/active companion
Akiyama no Roushya Karinohime go, "Ada"femaleMay 02 2018whitePET (spayed), hiking/active companion | NO CATS

ADOPTABLE KISHU KEN

WINTER

  • SEX: Male, Neutered

  • DOB: July 9 2017

  • LOCATION: Los Angeles Area, California

  • DETAILS: Winter is a newly senior Kishu Ken whose original owners had a significant lifestyle chang and so he is available through no fault of his own. He is neutered, up to date on vaccinations, and may be adopted by a single adult or couple. Winter is an active running companion and will appreciate homes which are active hiking, running, walking, or jogging. To learn more about Winter, please contact us.

ADOPTABLE KISHU KEN

ADA

  • SEX: Female, Neutered

  • DOB: May 2 2018

  • LOCATION: Portland Area, Oregon

  • DETAILS: Ada is a newly senior Kishu Ken whose original owners returned her to Akiyama no Roushya through no fault of her own. She is neutered (spayed), up to date on vaccinations, and is most appropriate for a single owner or couple. Ada is a moderately active companion who can still go for miles while also having an excellent off switch and may be suitable for apartments. To learn more about Ada, please contact us.

KISHU KEN AND SHIKOKU KEN PUPPIES

Litter plans subject to change due to health testing results or development of young dogs. Akiyama no Roushya puppies are placed on contract, prior to transportation arrangements. Owners are responsible for travel arrangements and veterinary costs of health certificate visits. There is no official puppy application. All interviews are performed via conversation online, over the phone, and/or via local meetup. Kishu Ken will have more availability due to the National Kishu Ken Club push to get the breed fully recognized in AKC in the upcoming years.

Our Litters

BreedExpectedSireDamRegistryColorsPedigree
Kishu KenFebruary 2026Toshinori (JP)Sakura (JP)NIPPO, AKC, FCIwhitelink
Kishu KenFebruary 2026Oisín (US)Niamh (JP)NIPPO, AKC, FCIred sesame, whitelink
Kishu KenWinter 2026/27Toshinori (JP)Meringue (US)NIPPO, AKC, FCIwhitelink

Co-Owned & Guardian Home Litters

We are a National Kishu Ken Club & American Shikoku Ken Club member working with breeders nationally and internationally. Our co-own and guardian home litters do not reside with us, but are at other private owners and breeders' homes. These are litters Akiyama no Roushya is assisting with for registration and placement purposes.

BreedExpectedHomesSireDamColorsPedigree
Kishu KenSummer 2026Confo/Sport/Pet homesCúchulainn (US)Hime (JP)red, whitelink
Shikoku KenSummer 2026Confo/Sport/Pet homesBento (JP)Suzu (FI)red, all sesame varietieslink

1. strikethru = waitlisted homes only / no puppies available

Further details

Our wait-list is currently open. All Kishu Ken and Shikoku Ken will be officially evaluated between 5 and 7 weeks of age. If you are interested in an Akiyama no Roushya puppy, please make sure you are in contact with us and on our wait list at least 1 year and no more than 3 years before you are hoping to add a pupAkiyama no Roushya puppies go home with AKC, NIPPO, and FCI registration. Akiyama no Roushya is an FCI member kennel and can provide full 3 generation FCI export pedigrees on all puppies as is needed. The puppy owner is responsible for the cost of the export pedigree. At this time, Akiyama no Roushya is the ONLY U.S. Shikoku Ken and Kishu Ken kennel approved by FCI.Our puppies see a veterinarian for all their needs except standard deworming, which is done at home. Puppies go home between 8-16 weeks depending on what we are looking for in a litter and will be up to date on all age-appropriate vaccinations, microchipped, and owners receive full access to medical notes provided to Akiyama no Roushya by the veterinarian. Additionally, puppies have their eyes checked for OFA and will all go home with Embark (both breeds) and UC Davis Diversity testing (Shikoku Ken.)Puppy owners receive a folder with their puppy's registration, pedigree, and veterinary information. In litters where registration is not immediately available (due to international mailing times and delays), pedigrees can be mailed. They also go home with a small gift bag which will generally include a toy and blanket they've had growing up with us, a small bag of food to transition from, and treats.Akiyama no Roushya puppies are placed "at cost" for the veterinary care, supplies, and personal time that go into rearing the litter. This is not our business, this is our hobby, but vet care, supplies, and inflation may cause prices to fluctuate some. If you have financial concerns please raise them to us and we can discuss options. Shikoku Ken puppies are NEVER sold to breeders we do not have prior relationships with, but may be placed as conformation prospects on co-ownership which will restrict breeding rights. EVERY Kishu Ken placement is treated as a full rights placement due to the population crisis, with breeding rights managed in the contract they are placed with. Puppy owners should anticipate costs for both breeds to be within the $3000-3600 window. A holding fee of $600 which will go towards the final puppy cost is required to be placed on the wait-list after a successful interview.

Frequently Asked questions

1. How Much Do Akiyama no Roushya Puppies Cost?
Kishu Ken and Shikoku Ken puppies from Akiyama no Roushya cost $3000-3600. You can find additional information on the Litters page under "Further Details."2. Do you sell dogs with breeding rights?
I will sell Kishu Ken with breeding rights. I do not sell Shikoku Ken with breeding rights.3. Do you ship puppies?
I will fly with my puppies or drive them to their new homes if their owner is not available to pick them up. I am willing to place Kishu Ken nationally and internationally. I only place Shikoku Ken within the Pacific Northwest in the US and Canada (Northern California, Oregon, Washington, Idaho, British Columbia, and Alberta.)4. Do you offer payment plans?
I do offer payment plans. There is no payment plan for the $600 holding fee which secures your place on the wait-list. The remainder of a puppy payment may be paid via payment plan, but the payment plan must be discussed before a contract is signed.5. Where are your puppies registered?
My puppies are registered with AKC-FSS, NIPPO, and FCI via FCPR. Export pedigrees from FCPR are not inclusive to the price of the dogs. NIPPO pedigrees are inclusive to the cost of the dog. AKC-FSS pedigrees may be made available upon request. All of my puppies may additionally be registered with UKC upon request.

Contact

You may also contact us and see more of our lifestyle and our dogs on our social links below:

Resources

VETTED LINKS AND RESOURCES FOR THE BREEDS

Nihonken Hozonkai (JP) - Kishu Ken & Shikoku Ken parent club in Japan
Beikoku Chuugataken Aigokai (US) - U.S. medium sized breed club open to NIPPO members