Japanese (rabbit)

The Japanese rabbit was first presented among common rabbits at the general competition of 1887. Its coat has a certain proportion of white, and its tricolor coat similar to that of cats arouses the curiosity of observers. However, it does not command unanimous approval, and while some praise the quality of its meat and the originality of its coat, which earned it the creation of a separate category from common rabbits, it is for others nothing less than a common rabbit, obtained by crossing a red rabbit with a black rabbit. It is now widely recognized that the Japanese coat cannot be obtained this way. It seems rather to come from drastic selection of the tricolor Dutch rabbit to eliminate the white. Attempts were made to obtain a large-sized Japanese rabbit by crossing it with giant breeds, but the breed was never fixed, and presented various defects such as the drooping ears of rams or the large dewlap of giant breeds. They are therefore not ratified.

The Japanese is a medium-sized rabbit weighing between 3 and 4.5 kg. It has a robust and rounded body. Its dorsal line is horizontal. Its head has two robust ears of 11 to 13 cm. A slight dewlap is tolerated in females. The eyes are brown-brown. The fur is dense and rigid. Its coloration is quite particular; it is called "tortoiseshell" and is composed of yellow, black, and orange, quite strong except for the underside of the body which is duller. Formerly white spots could also be seen but they have been eliminated by selection. The head is bicolored, one side of the face being black and the other colored, the separation taking place in the middle of the face. Point scale: