Kai Ken

Known in Japan as the tiger dog, the Kai comes from the steep mountains of Yamanashi, the old Kai Province. Its brindle coat is the giveaway: black, red or intermediate stripes on a harsh coat, although puppies are born almost solid and the pattern can take years to settle. It hunted deer, boar and serow on ground where agility mattered, and many still climb trees and swim with obvious pleasure. Among the native breeds it has a name for being close to its family, good with children and less quarrelsome with other dogs, yet it remains reserved with people it does not know. It is rare even in Japan, so expect to wait for a puppy from a preservation-minded breeder.