Related breeds · UK guide · Original sources
Akita or Japanese Akita Inu: what is the difference?
They are two separate breeds with separate standards. In the UK the Royal Kennel Club calls them the Akita and the Japanese Akita Inu, and its listing says it separated them in 2006. The FCI calls the same two breeds the American Akita (standard 344) and the Akita (standard 255). The clearest published differences are colour and height: the Japanese Akita Inu standard allows red fawn, sesame and brindle with urajiro markings, or pure white, while the Akita standard allows any colour except merle. Both are large, double-coated breeds with the same listed exercise band.
Consulted : Royal Kennel Club Akita standard, Japanese Akita Inu standard, the Akita and Japanese Akita Inu breed listings, and FCI standards N° 344 (American Akita) and N° 255 (Akita).
Which name means which dog?
| Registry | Larger, American-developed type | Japanese type |
|---|---|---|
| Royal Kennel Club (UK) | Akita | Japanese Akita Inu |
| FCI (international) | American Akita, N° 344 (origin Japan, development USA) | Akita, N° 255 (origin Japan) |
So "Akita" means different dogs in the UK and in FCI countries. Check which breed a pedigree, advert or rescue record actually refers to.
The two breeds: the published guidance
Figures are the registries' ideals or listed categories. The Royal Kennel Club's note for puppy buyers says its size figures describe the ideal, so an individual dog may be larger or smaller.
| Measure | Akita (RKC) · American Akita (FCI) | Japanese Akita Inu (RKC) · Akita (FCI) |
|---|---|---|
| Height (RKC) | Dogs 66–71 cm, bitches 61–66 cm | Dogs 64–70 cm, bitches 58–64 cm |
| Height (FCI) | Males 66–71 cm, females 61–66 cm | Dogs 67 cm, bitches 61 cm, each with a 3 cm tolerance |
| Weight in the standards | Neither RKC standard and neither FCI standard gives a weight | |
| Colours (RKC) | Any colour except merle, including white, brindle or pinto, with or without mask or blaze | Red fawn, sesame and brindle, each with whitish or greyish urajiro markings; or pure white |
| Coat (RKC) | Coarse, straight, stand-off outer coat over a soft, dense undercoat; no ruff or feathering | Coarse, stand-off, straight outer coat over a soft, dense undercoat; ruff or feathering undesirable |
| RKC listing: size, exercise | Large · More than 2 hours per day | Large · More than 2 hours per day |
| RKC listing: grooming, sheds | Once a week · Yes | More than once a week · Yes |
| RKC listing: lifespan | Over 10 years | Over 10 years |
The RKC Japanese Akita Inu standard defines urajiro as a pattern of whitish markings on the muzzle, cheeks, chest, underside and inside of the legs that blends into the main colour. FCI 255 also requires urajiro for the non-white Akita colours. FCI 344 permits a broad colour range for the American Akita but lists merle markings and liver colour as disqualifying faults. These rules are not identical to the UK wording. Colour is a show-ring rule, not evidence about a dog's health or behaviour.
Why are there two Akita breeds?
Both FCI standards tell the same early history: medium-sized hunting dogs in Japan's Akita region, later crossed with larger breeds, then depleted and mixed in type by the end of the Second World War. FCI 344 explains that dogs of one post-war line were taken to the United States, that the American Kennel Club accepted the breed in 1972, and that without reciprocal pedigree recognition between the American and Japan kennel clubs the American dogs developed as a distinct type. FCI 255 describes breeders in Japan working instead to restore the original type.
The Royal Kennel Club's Akita listing says the breed as seen today was developed in America with more bone and substance. Its Japanese Akita Inu listing calls that breed the original Akita as found in Japan and states that the Kennel Club separated the two in 2006.
What the standards say about temperament
The RKC Akita standard describes the breed as dignified, courageous and aloof, and says it tends to show dominance over other dogs, a trait it does not encourage. The RKC Japanese Akita Inu standard describes a bold, dignified, composed dog that is indifferent to strangers and never nervous. These are show-ring descriptions of an ideal. They do not predict how a particular dog will behave with your household, visitors or other animals. Ask about the actual dog's history, and meet it more than once before deciding.
Read the separate profiles
Both are large dogs with a high listed exercise band. Compare the commitments in the profiles, then ask a rescue or responsible breeder what is known about the specific dog and its health records. Explore Your Doggy Match or compare the two profiles; neither is a validated prediction of how an individual dog will fit your life.
For another Japanese spitz breed, read the Japanese Shiba Inu profile.
Sources and limits: Royal Kennel Club breed standards for the Akita (last updated 1 August 2025) and the Japanese Akita Inu (last updated July 2026); Royal Kennel Club breed listings; FCI standards 344 (official valid standard published 11 February 2026) and 255 (published 13 March 2001). Pages checked 31 October 2026. Registries use different names; these are show-ring ideals and general care categories, not medical or behaviour evidence, local availability or an individual dog's needs.