Nihon Ken Invitational

The Nihon Ken Invitational is an annual UKC show hosted by the Japanese Akita Club of America in Gardena, CA, just outside of Los Angeles. 

This year was the first year that I have attended with the Kishu girls and I hope to make it a trend that will continue next year! It was a long drive from Portland, Oregon, but it wasn't a bad drive and while I was happy to be home after the long trip, I'll never forget my experiences on the road and at the show. It was great to meet up with friends I've known through the internet, involved in other Japanese breeds and it was great to get the Kishu out there.

Nami was the first Kishu to officially earn points in the UKC. She's earned 25/100 points toward her CH in the UKC. I received a call from the UKC the day after this show to inform me that the temporary listing numbers I purchased hadn't processed fully for the first show we attended, so they won't be counted toward any titles, but that doesn't take away the value of the experience.

We met many awesome dogs and saw so many Japanese Akitas (of course)! I highly recommend this event to anyone interested in the Japanese breeds next year!

​Here are some shots from the show... I didn't get ANY of Japanese Akitas that turned out any good. Many hands and faces in the way. :( I'm kind of disappointed.