Akita Dog Natural Monument Day

What Is Akita Dog Natural Monument Day?

Every July 31st is also "Akita Dog Natural Monument Day" (秋田犬天然記念物指定の日, Akitainu Tennen Kinenbutsu Shitei no Hi) in Japan. On July 31, 1931, the Akita dog (秋田犬, Akita Inu) was designated as a Japanese Natural Monument (天然記念物, tennen kinenbutsu) — the first Japanese dog breed to receive this status, and official recognition of this large, powerful native Japanese breed as a national heritage animal worthy of preservation and protection. The designation came after the breed, once called the "Ōdate dog," had been heavily crossbred with Western dogs for dogfighting, and it helped catalyze preservation efforts.

The Akita Dog

The Akita Inu is one of Japan's six native dog breeds designated as Natural Monuments (along with the Shiba Inu, Kishu, Kai, Hokkaido, and Shikoku breeds). The Akita — large, powerful, with a dense double coat and a curled tail — originated around Ōdate in Akita Prefecture in northern Honshu. It is the only large breed among Japan's native dogs.

Hachikō's Legacy

The Akita's most famous representative is Hachikō (ハチ公, 1923-1935) — the loyal dog who waited at Shibuya Station daily for his deceased owner for nearly a decade (see April 8th, Loyal Dog Hachikō Day). Hachikō's story, immortalized in films and his famous bronze statue at Shibuya, made the Akita an internationally recognized symbol of Japanese loyalty and has driven significant international interest in the breed.

Fun Facts

• Near-loss in wartime: Food shortages during and after the war devastated the breed, and by the end of the war only a dozen or so Akitas of proper pedigree are said to have remained; enthusiasts rebuilt the breed from them.
• American Akita: During and after WWII, American servicemen in Japan became interested in Akitas and brought some home — eventually leading to the development of the "American Akita" as a separate breed standard from the original Japanese Akita Inu. The two are now recognized as distinct breeds by major kennel clubs, reflecting divergent breeding paths after the postwar exchange.
• Gift of state: Akita dogs have been presented as diplomatic gifts by Japan to foreign dignitaries and countries — reflecting the breed's status as a symbol of Japan and Japanese culture. During her 1937 visit to Akita, Helen Keller was given an Akita puppy named Kamikaze-go by a local police officer — the first Akita to go to the United States.