So this project is another of those that took some 'time'. The further along the project got, the more the need to make sure it was finished correctly became apparent, and so the 'time' would be measured in years. A faster finish may have been preferable, but the Norwegian Nihon Ken Club's Shikoku Compendium is now published and available for order online at The Nihon Ken Shop, and I for one believe it was well worth the wait.
Spearheaded by Mika Haetta's dogged perseverance, and helped along the way by many others including Japan Kennel Club president Mr.Satoshi Bessho, who was kind enough to contribute a foreword as well as an article on movement, the book is a moving tribute to the breed. Its beautiful depictions of the breed in Japan include historical photographs as well as shots of the Shikoku in the traditional NIPPO ring, and adds to this with Antonia Staecker's stunning and singular photographs of the breed hunting in traditional style in the mountains of Japan. Illustrations were hand drawn by Riina Haapakallio and many hours were spent deliberating with NIPPO judges to get them just so. Museums in Japan agreed to allow their photographs and archives to be used for the publication, and most importantly the Nihon Ken Hozonkai (Japanese Dog Preservation Society) allowed access and use of their photographs and data.
The compendium covers the history of the breed, the NIPPO and FCI standards with commentary, the NIPPO judging resolutions in their entirety, and more. We all know there has been a dearth of information and publications in English regarding the Japanese breeds, but what makes this compendium useful to not only the Shikoku Ken is the fact that the NIPPO standard is universal, meaning the information, commentary, and articles in it can generally be applied to the five other Japanese breeds as well.
I'll go out on a limb here and say nothing of this caliber regarding the Japanese breeds has been published in English before. It is well worth the read, and the book looks damn good on the table too. I was happy to donate my time and energy to this project by the Norwegian Nihon Ken Club, as a little thank you to the breed that has given me so much over the years. Hopefully everyone not only enjoys the beauty of the breed and the book, but also digs into the text and gives it a good read. My hope is that it helps the Japanese breeds be preserved as they were meant to be, according to the original standard as set forth by the founders of NIPPO.
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