{"id":50210,"date":"2019-10-23T20:00:52","date_gmt":"2019-10-23T11:00:52","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/voyapon.com\/?p=50210"},"modified":"2020-08-22T09:16:01","modified_gmt":"2020-08-22T00:16:01","slug":"shiba-inu-japans-national-treasure","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/voyapon.com\/shiba-inu-japans-national-treasure\/","title":{"rendered":"Shiba Inu: Japan’s Cutest National Treasure"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

The Japanese have a love for small, cute dogs and you will see them strolling elegantly in streets and parks across the country. Mr Miyazaki has been breeding Shiba Inu<\/strong>, recognised as one of Japan\u2019s national treasures,<\/strong> for over 18 years and he has gained an excellent reputation, winning several awards. Many of his animals have been exported to other countries and sold to wealthy customers in Sweden, Australia and the United States. <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Turning a Passion into a Business<\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Mr Miyazaki decided to breed Shiba Inus on the island of Kyushu after quitting his office job. He always had a passion for dogs and was the proud owner of a Shiba Inu dog himself, which he began entering into local shows. He soon realized that, in order to show animals that had good temperaments<\/strong> and looked cute<\/strong>, it was necessary to cross breed and take good care of them, which is what he did. The breeding business was a success and the number of dogs increased steadily year after year. He even had to move from the town of Mashiki, near the airport, to the hills of Minamiaso<\/strong> when he needed more space. <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Shiba<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

The center now has around 100 dogs at any one time which includes 4 different colors of Shiba Inu and a large white Akita. It’s a welcoming place and anyone with a passion for animals can come and enjoy playing with these cute, fluffy creatures. <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Located in the Heart of the Caldera<\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

It is located a short drive from route 28, one of the main roads through the Aso Caldera<\/strong>. Nearby Kumamoto-Aso Airport<\/strong> is the main gateway for people coming to the 2019 Rugby World Cup<\/strong> as Kumamoto is one of the host venues and it makes a perfect afternoon excursion. The car\u2019s navigation system brought us to the tiny hamlet of Kain, with its traditional wooden houses and small farms. <\/span>We hadn’t seen a sign for the Shiba Inu dog breeder and had driven past the same building three times, so we were feeling slightly lost. Luckily, we met an elderly Japanese woman walking on the roadside who understood what we were looking for. Walking in front of our car, she led us down a narrow track until the faint sound of barking emerged from the trees. She watched from a distance to make sure we were at the right place before disappearing back up the track and shouting back ‘thank you’ in English. It was one of those moments of kindness that really make you fall in love with a place like Kumamoto.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Mr Miyazaki and his son greeted us warmly and were happy to show us around. But first we had to walk through disinfectant trays to prevent the dogs coming into contact with any harmful germs.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n