The Transformation and Extinction of the Wolf in Japan

1. Introduction

Japan was once home to two subspecies of the gray wolf: the Japanese wolf (Canis lupus hodophilax) and the Ezo wolf (Canis lupus hattai).From the late 19th to the early 20th century, both declined rapidly and are now recognized as extinct.

This extinction was not merely an ecological event but the result of overlapping cultural, social, and historical factors. Folk beliefs, socio-economic changes, educational reforms, and Western influence all played a role. This article explores the image of the wolf across folklore, extermination policies, and the absence of scientific study, and considers its broader cultural meaning.

2. Stray Dogs and Wolves — A Blurred Boundary

Historical sources reveal that many “wolves” may actually have been feral dogs.

Two categories existed:

• Long-established wild populations living in the mountains.

• Recently abandoned dogs, still tame, often roaming near villages.

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The second group, familiar with humans, was easily mistaken for wolves. In folklore, this blurred line shaped legends such as the “Okuri-ōkami” (the “Escorting Wolf”).

3. Wolves in Folklore

• Shimane Prefecture: Wolves appeared in travelers’ tales—sometimes startling people, sometimes captured alive.

• Nara and Osaka regions: Popular wisdom suggested healthy wolves avoided humans, but sick ones turned aggressive.

• Kusatsu, Gunma Prefecture: Wolves were said to follow travelers from a distance, then vanish—a behavior passed down as spiritual protection.

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Proverbs such as “Don’t stop to fix your sandals when chased by a wolf” reveal the cultural impact of these beliefs.

4. Education and Knowledge Reform

• Meiji-era schools: Compulsory education spread zoological knowledge, teaching children to distinguish dogs from wolves.

• Gap in science: Yet systematic ecological studies were lacking, leaving little data when wolves neared extinction.

5. Anatomical Records at Ueno Zoo

In 1892, a female wolf at Ueno Zoo died and was dissected by Tokyo Agricultural College.

Findings included heartworm, fluid buildup in chest and abdomen, and organ damage.

This remains one of the few detailed pathological records of Japanese wolves—historically invaluable.

6. From Sacred Being to Pest

• Sacred past: Wolves were revered as divine messengers, enshrined as “O-inu-sama.” Some wolf shrines survive today.

• Shift to pest: With rising livestock damage, the Meiji government set bounties, hastening eradication.

• Western impact: Grimm’s Little Red Riding Hood reinforced the wolf as a cunning villain, cementing hostility.

7. Extinction and the Loss of Knowledge

• Ezo wolf: Driven extinct by ranching development.

• Japanese wolf: Hit by rabies outbreaks and habitat loss.

• Knowledge lost: With no systematic studies, their ecology and regional traits remain unknown.

Wolves in Japan occupied three cultural dimensions:

• Folkloric — divine messengers, escorting spirits.

• Social — livestock predators.

• Literary — villains in Western tales.

Their extinction erased both a biological species and a cultural presence.

Conclusion

The disappearance of wolves in Japan was not simply ecological—it was a cultural and historical turning point. Interdisciplinary study remains essential to rediscover the unique relationship between humans and wolves in Japan.