The Honshu wolf was the world's smallest wolf, standing just over a foot at the shoulder and measuring 35 inches from nose to end of the tail. They had short wiry hair and a thin dog-like tail that was rounded at the end. Their legs were shorter in relation to their body length. In many ways, it resembled dogs, coyotes and jackals much more so than its Siberian wolf ancestors.
Although it is presently classified as a gray wolf subspecies, many argue that its physical differences are enough to consider the Honshu wolf to be its own species. Some believe it may not have even been a true wolf.