Perhaps due to Japan’s continued love affair with pint-sized pooches that are proudly paraded around in all kinds of apparel, little kids are largely comfortable around canines, particularly when playing in the paradise that is the park. However, swap a terrier for a tortoise, and things can be very different, with fear initially far more to the fore.
Which slowly fades to fascination.
Not that fear is ever far away.
Finally resulting in a just about sustainable fearful but still fascinated stalemate.
Dean says
I so recognize this. Within Japan going to Nara with all the deer and hundreds of SCREEEMING scared school children/higher schoolers. Outside Japan I have introduced Japanese to farms and they have been very shy/scared of the animals [ it actually should be the other way round]. I wonder how “most” Japanese would fare on a real safari, where you are supposed to keep quite so as not scare the animals away… not shouting expressions of “amazing” or surprise that you get in the zoo environment.
MrSatyre says
The best pet I ever saw in a park in Tokyo was a long-haired rabbit on a leash. It really did look like some sort of crazy terrier mutt mix from a few feet away, and it wasn’t until I got down to get a better look that I realized it was in fact a rabbit. But it sure acted like a dog, coming over for me to pet it, and nudging my hand whenever I stopped.
Hao says
I would’ve reacted the same as that kid ^^ I have a turtle myself (about that size, maybe a bit bigger) and I love to see him/her every morning 🙂 thanks for the share!
Chelsey says
I love this!
And your photos are gorgeous.