Mira Micin, and her husband John Depalma, founded Shiranui Kennels in 2017. We are a small Japanese Akita hobby breeder located in Suffolk, VA.
Back in 2006 we brought home two Shiba-Inu, Shippo and Okami, and from these first two dogs we learned so much. Although they were wonderful teachers and were our introduction to the world of raising primitive breeds, we wanted a larger dog with a less dramatic personality. After 10 years and a lot of research, we fell in love with the Japanese Akita. After speaking with our mentors, we decided we wanted to start showing and breeding to help preserve and promote the Japanese Akita through conformation and performance events.
Our breeding dogs are sourced from champion Japanese lines and are all beloved pets first and foremost. For the most part, they spend their time inside just hanging around ruling the household. When not lazing around, we take them hiking, practice nose-work and barn hunt, and participate in conformation shows. So far, we have successfully shown our dogs in both UKC and AKIHO. Additionally, we have looked into participating in international dog shows. In terms of performance, we have competed in Barn Hunt and Nose work trials. Future ventures we are planning include trying agility and lure coursing as the dogs show interest.
We are proud to be a part of the supportive community of other Japanese Akita and Nihon-ken owners. We are active members of the Japanese Akita Club of America (JACA) and the Los Angeles Branch of Japanese Akita Preservation Society (AKIHO). Please don’t hesitate to contact us about any questions you may have. We are always happy to talk about our favorite subject, the Japanese Akita!