There are three sub-types of this dog, each named after a specific area in Japan. While we don’t know their origin, they were probably flushing dogs. There is evidence that they were used in boar hunting as well. WWII severely hurt the numbers of the breed and an outbreak of Distemper in the 50s almost killed it off altogether. To allow the breed to survive, there was some cross breeding. The dog arrived in America 2 years after the Distemper outbreak and has done well since.
This is not a dog for the faint of heart. They can be tough to deal with, not only for other animals but humans as well. They have a tendency towards dominance, even aggression. They are very interested in others of their breed but not always easy to teach to play gently. Do not have other pets in the home with this dog. They are intelligent and willful and aren’t always good off the leash.