He ʻīlio ʻīlio ʻAsia kahiko ka Shiba Inu i ʻike mua ʻia ma kahi o 300 BC. Ua hoʻohana ʻia kēia mau ʻīlio muscular no ka hahai holoholona. Ua unuhi ʻia ka inoa ʻo Shiba Inu mai ka ʻōlelo Kepanī ma ke ʻano he "ʻīlio brushy", e pili ana me ke ʻano ʻulaʻula ʻano o ka pua.
I ka makahiki 1954, ua puka mai ka Shiba Inu mua ma United States. Aia ka lāhui i kēia manawa i ka 44th ma ka pae. I kēia mau lā, ua hoʻohana ʻia kēia mau ʻīlio koʻikoʻi, like me ka ʻalopeke, ka liʻiliʻi liʻiliʻi e hana i nā ʻano holoholona like ʻole e ulu wikiwiki nei.
Ma kēia ʻatikala, e nānā mākou i 18 hui Shiba Inu.