It was believed, and I had written that the SHOKOKU had given rise to many other breeds of long tailed fowl: Minohiki, Onagadori, Totenko and Satsumadori. This was also told to me personally by a major Japanese breeder, but in results of DNA test did not reveal any close relationship with the other known Japanese longtails. The SHOKOKU is referred to by many as the honoured ancestor of all the Longtails, but the TOTENKO and the ONAGADORI have been grouped genetically as most closely related family members of the longtail genetic tree and no close direct link has been found in DNA research between the Shokoku and the others. The Minohiki were not included in the studies. It is still possible that the Shokoku is the ancient grandparent of many longtails and that the different populations of Longtail breeds have grown distinctly different on the genetic level as well.
Reference: (Phylogenetic Studies on the Japanese Native Breeds of Chickens, Poultry Science, 21 (6) 1984 by Ikuo Okada, Yoshio Yamamoto, Tsutomu Hashiguchi and Shin-ichi Ito)

(Image above courtesy of Knut Roeder) Here is shown the most popular colour of the SHOKOKU, the Black Breasted Silver (Silver Duckwing). Whites have been seen in photographs, and the Five-Coloured Type is unknown in the west. In Japan itself the Silver Duckwing is practically the only colour now bred. The Black Breasted Red, or Red Duckwing, is reserved for the Totenko and the BBSilver, or Black Beasted Silver Duckwing, for the Shokoku.
(image courtesy of Brian Reeder)
The most distinguishing factor of the SHOKOKU is its splendid tail feathers and very long, dragging saddle feathers. It is said to have a long crow, but not to rival the Totenko, the Tomaru, the Koeyoshi and the Gashiwa. The SHOKOKU is a popular breed in Japan and has many variations according to regions where it is bred. These birds, however, must have red faces, red earlobes and yellow legs. Any other colours here in the wattles or legs are the results of outcrosses to other breeds. The SHOKOKU was imported out of China and is thought to have been kept for more than 2,000 years. Purebred birds of this breed are now in Germany and are being carefully guarded. Within the next 3 to 5 years, they should be available to interested parties throughout Europe. Since the breed is so old and has been bred in different parts of Japan, there have arisen also distinctly different types of SHOKOKU. Some being more meat-producing and others more for the showcase. The birds, however, should have at least a 90cm tail, have mostly red faces, and a disqualification is if the saddle hackle does not touch and drag the ground.
(from the book HANDBUCH DER HUEHNERRASSEN, die Huehnerrassen der Welt, Ruediger Wandelt and Josef Wolters, Wolters Verlag 1996, pp.433 -434).

Japanese Standard for SHOKOKU - sent to me by Julia Keeling, Asian Gamefowl Society, Contact person for UK and the British Isles: SHOKOKU Single comb, red earlobe, red brown eye colour Weight: cock 2000g, hen 1600g (young birds 1300 ­ 1600g) White hackled, 5 coloured and white Tail over 60cm long and has 30 angle in cocks, 20 angle in hens

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