Kawakami Ken

The Kawakami Inu (Japanese: 川上犬) is a small, Japanese dog breed originating in Kawakami Village, Minamisaku District, Nagano Prefecture. It is considered to be a type of Shiba Inu and is designated as a natural monument of Nagano Prefecture.
The legend of the Kawakami Inu's origin tells how hunters tamed the wild wolves of the Chichibu Mountains, and all Kawakami Inu are thus related to the now extinct Japanese wolf. Because of this, it is believed that a Kawakami Inu will confront an opponent larger than itself. One story tells of a Kawakami Inu that protected its owner from a bear.