Rose Marie Carlsen: The Danish Chapter of Japanese Spitz

On July 8, 1979, a small white dog trotted through customs at Denmark’s Frederikshavn ferr terminal. This wasn’t just any dog – it was Ban-Toyo, the first Japanese Spitz to set paw on Danish soil. Local newspapers later the HUNDEN, Denmark’s largest specialized magazine about dogs reported this as “neat little snow-white dog” attracted attention. It proudly entered the country with only a health certificate as its “passport.”

The Woman Behind the Japanese Spitz Breed

Rose-Marie Carlsen (owner of Tu-San kennel), born in Nortälje, Sweden, moved to Denmark in 1971. She was admired the beautiful Japanese Spitz dogs in Sweden and felt sad that Denmark had none. “This is where the great adventure with many wonderful years together with Japanese Spitz begins,” she would later recall.

Rose-Marie was the driving force behind bringing the breed to Denmark. Her friend Karen Marie Hansen (Papillons breeder and owner of Tolstrup kennel) helped with the first imports at the beginning.

The Founding Japanese Spitz Dogs

By the end of 1979, four Japanese Spitz dogs had arrived in Denmark:

1. Ban-Toyo (Male) – Born May 6, 1979
   • Came from breeders N. & A. Larsson in Sweden
   • Rose Marie’s sister brought him from Veinge to Gothenburg
   • He was shared with Karen Marie Hansen
2. Tu-San (Female) – Born June 8, 1979
   • Acquired from Stockholm
   • Became corner stone and gift her name to kennel
3. Ceholms White Jinjiny and Ceholms White Geisha (Females) – Born August 26, 1979
   • They were collected by Rose-Marie from Cecilia Holmsted at show in Sofiero. Cecilia Holmsted was the judge that day and was so kind to bring them to Denmark.
   • Ceholms White Jinjiny was staying with Rose-Marie
   • Ceholms White Geisha goes to Karen Marie Hansen and had just two litter after Ban-Toyo

The First Danish Japanese Spitz Puppies

The exciting moment came in early 1981 when the first Danish-born Japanese Spitz puppies arrived:

• February 1981: Four Tu-San puppies, including Tu-San Tai-Zo who later became an International Champion
• August 1981: Two puppies under Tolstrup kennel name
• March 1982: Three puppies, including Danish Champion Tolstrup White Blanche-Neige
• April 1982: Three puppies, including Tu-San Shi-Ro who won multiple championship titles across Europe

Take-Oh of Yokohama Takada: Denmark’s Japanese Import Star

An important chapter in Denmark’s Japanese Spitz history unfolded with Take-Oh of Yokohama Takada’s arrival. He was born on November 12, 1984, in Japan. This remarkable dog was sired by JKCSP797/82 Alcyon Of Port Masuda. Asa Giku Of Mischief Queen, referenced by JKCSP538/80, was also a parent. He would go on to become both a Denmark and Nordic champion.

Take-Oh became an extraordinarily influential stud dog. He was imported by Rose-Marie to Denmark and later moved to Sweden. There, he sired an impressive 26 litters with more than 60 puppies. His genetic contribution significantly shaped the development of the Japanese Spitz not just in Denmark and across other countries.

A Lasting Impact

Denmark early years of Japanese Spitz and Rose-Marie Carlsen story symbolizes not just a successful import. It also shows the growing international cooperation between Japanese Spitz enthusiasts across continents. Today, if you look at Japanese Spitz pedigrees around the world, you’ll often find Tu-San in the family tree. Rose-Marie’s Tu-San kennel put Denmark on the map as a one more center for Japanese Spitz breeding in Europe. Nevertheless she ended her Japanese Spitz breeding program due to health issues. Yet, the breed continued to flourish in Denmark. This was all because one woman fell in love with these small white clouds and decided to bring them home.

Rose-Marie Carlsen granted her archive of Japanese Spitz photos and documents to Dansk Kennel Klub, and hopefully one day we’ll gain access to these treasures to share with the wider Japanese Spitz community