Akita Dogs: The International Fan Club
Hollywood Stars, French Icons and Russian Spokespersons All In on Akitas
Picture this: Hollywood’s very own Richard Gere basking in the fluff of an Akita, French cine‑legend Alain Delon sighing over the same cuddly hound, and Russia’s skating sensation Alina Zagitova wagging her tail in pure excitement. What’s the common thread? It’s the whole Japanese Akita love affair.
Why the Awesomeness Is Going Global
In recent years, people from all over the world have been falling head‑over‑hills for these perky‑eared pooches. Instead of just a handful of country‑wide fans, we’re seeing a surge in international ownership that’s putting the global demand way above the domestic one.
Alina’s Akita Moment
- During her training stint in Japan, Alina spotted an Akita and fell in love instantly.
- The local community jumped into action, promising to hand her a pup.
Veteran Breeder’s Take
Dog‑ist Osamu Yamaguchi, a seasoned breeder of 64 years, tends to these fluffy beasts with a calm and seasoned touch. While once his clientele was a neat 50/50 split between Japanese and international fans, he’s noticed a sharp uptick in overseas buyers lately.
“My clients used to be half Japanese and half foreigners, but now the foreign side is taking the lead,” he confided to AFP. He was pepping up his garden in Takasaki City—nearly 100 kilometres north of Tokyo—when he shared this insight.
Bottom Line
From Hollywood movie stars to rock‑star skaters, it’s clear that Akitas are no longer just a local treasure. Their global charm has put them in the spotlight, one wagging tail at a time.
Akitas: Japan’s Big Soft‑Thing Pets Are Going Viral Worldwide!
Picture this: a fluffy, spunky Japanese look‑alike about the size of a small elephant, biting through a continent’s culture to capture hearts. That’s the Akita, a hunting‑bred hound that’s now in pop‑culture, but the real drama? Its popularity is off the charts, especially overseas.
From a Tiny Reserve to a Global Mania
- Only 33 Akitas living abroad in 2005.
- Jumped to 359 in 2013—a tenfold increase.
- Reaching a staggering 3,967 in 2017‑ a number that makes the breed “popularity‑matter” on the world stage.
Inside the Current Akita Scene in Japan
In Yamaguchi, there’re always about 20 Akitas on the scene.
They’re cute little fluff‑balls—white, brindle or reddish puppies—always getting into playful tussles or nuzzling their mom for a snack.
Breed Snapshot
- Origin: Northern Japan’s Akita prefecture.
- Size: 60–70 cm tall, 40–50 kg.
- Signature features: Paws that look like claws, perk‑up ears, deep‑set eyes, and a face that can’t decide if it’s human or bear.
Why the National Treasure Tag Matters
Japan’s government recognizes six canine mascots—including Akita— as “Natural Treasures.” Yet local ownership has been sliding down the slope:
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Only 3,000 puppies per year registered recently.
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Last boom: 40,000 in the 1970s.
Housing Hurdle
“People love to get one,” says Kosuke Kawakita, heading the Tokyo branch of the Akita Preservation Association. But apartments won’t play ball:
- Many flats ban pets altogether.
- Small spaces make it hard to accommodate a dog that large.
So the Akita’s next big mission? Making a case that every living space can have one. Stay tuned—these big, born‑again‑hunters are stealing the limelight, one wag at a time!
Photo: AFP
Foreign owners have picked up the slack, with Yamaguchi saying he travels overseas about 20 times a year to personally deliver Akitas to their new owners.
His dogs sell for around 200,000 yen (US$2,437) each, and most of his clients are from the United States, Russia and China, though he has also flown to France, Egypt, Kuwait and Indonesia to make sure owners have a proper home for their puppies.
“Akita dogs are responsive. That’s their most attractive feature,” Yamaguchi said.
“They understand how you feel just by being near you. And they’re loyal.”
The dog’s faithful character is central to the decades-old true story of Hachiko, an Akita who in the 1920s waited patiently each day at Tokyo’s Shibuya station for his master to return from work.
One day, his owner passed away while teaching at the Imperial University of Tokyo but the faithful pet waited for him at the same station for the next decade.
‘DIGNIFIED’ DOGS
Photo: AFP
Hachiko is commemorated in a statue outside the station, as well as elsewhere in Tokyo, and his story was turned into a Hollywood film in 2009, starring Gere as the professor.
“The Akita became a very popular dog” overseas after the movie came out, said Kawakita, who has owned more than 30 Akitas since falling in love with them as a teenager.
Other famous Akita admirers have also raised the pooches’ profile overseas, including deaf-blind political activist Helen Keller who brought one back to America and Russian President Vladimir Putin, who received a dog as a gift from the Akita governor.
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In China, the dogs have become so sought after that some pet shops began selling “fake Akitas” with falsified pedigree certificates, Kawakita said, adding that dogs with reddish fur were usually the most desirable for foreign owners.
Yamaguchi is delighted to see the dogs gain overseas fans, but hopes the popularity won’t be simply a fad.
“I don’t want the boom of Akita dogs to be a passing trend. I want it to continue,” he said.
And for that to happen, he said, owners in Japan “have a big responsibility” to keep the Akita breed alive.
“Dogs will not thrive if the country of origin stops producing them,” he said.
