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May 25 2011 27 Comments

The terribly sad sight of a man bereft of his best friend

Tokyo’s parks offer a myriad of sights and sounds, many of them happy ones, but the man below — who I think used to own this dog, which unfortunately must have died — is instead a decidedly sad one.

A sad old Japanese man

A scene that always used to upset me, and yet at the same time it was one that for reasons unknown I would always seek out. One that for an awfully long time I made a point of not photographing too. Until a while ago that is. Although why it’s hard to say. But whatever the motive, I’m now glad I did, as despite countless visits, he hasn’t been there since. And as sad as he always looked, the park is somehow a lot sadder without him.

A sad old Japanese man

Categorized: Photography

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. tamh says

    5/25/2011 at 11:09 am

    Oh, wow. This post made feel a knot in my throat.
    Decidedly, he looks really sad there, like he was holding on to his plushie to compensate for his missing dog. I just hope he’s okay, where-ever he is.
    Those are some sad pictures, but well, life is just like that.
    The knot is still there.

    Reply
    • Lee says

      5/25/2011 at 7:03 pm

      That’s how I always felt…

      Reply
  2. Billy says

    5/25/2011 at 11:16 am

    Moving… Nice post. At Yoyogi, I sometimes see similar sad sights…

    Reply
    • Lee says

      5/25/2011 at 7:04 pm

      Thanks Billy. Yes, he’s unfortunately not alone in that respect. Not by a long way.

      Reply
  3. @an_hell187 says

    5/25/2011 at 11:21 am

    🙁 🙁 🙁 🙁

    Reply
  4. [Gm] says

    5/25/2011 at 12:11 pm

    I can understand what he feels. I hope he soon found another friend(s), and you’ll see him again at the park.

    And your B/W tone just make it even sadder :-(.
    Why, Lee? Why?

    *Don’t answer that. It’s rhetorical 🙂

    Reply
    • Lee says

      5/25/2011 at 7:04 pm

      I hope so too.

      Reply
  5. Linette says

    5/25/2011 at 1:55 pm

    Very poignant scene you’ve captured. You noticed him. You have made a difference. And now we all get to be with him in a way. He’s not truly alone. That must stand for something…

    Reply
    • Lee says

      5/25/2011 at 7:06 pm

      That’s a nice way of thinking about it Linette. I hope you are right.

      Reply
      • Lizzy says

        5/27/2011 at 7:54 am

        Thank you, Linette. It’s my hope also that our hearts reaching out for him somehow help ease his sadness. And thank you, Lee. These posts help us feel connected in a way. Or, at least I do.

        Reply
        • Lee says

          5/27/2011 at 5:07 pm

          Not at all Lizzy. Happy to hear the photos are appreciated.

          Reply
  6. Naie says

    5/25/2011 at 3:30 pm

    That’s such a heart-wrenching image 🙁

    Reply
  7. winnie says

    5/25/2011 at 3:41 pm

    Melancholy post. Feel the sadness from the pictures. Like telling us to treasure our loves one.
    Sorry, it give me this feeling.
    🙁

    Reply
    • Lee says

      5/25/2011 at 7:07 pm

      No need to be sorry. There’s certainly an element of that there.

      Reply
  8. NihonBurp says

    5/25/2011 at 6:04 pm

    Wow…a picture really does say 1000 words 🙁

    Reply
  9. JuliannaMKH says

    5/25/2011 at 11:16 pm

    I like the way Linette put it. I wish I could give him a hug and tell him that I understand what it’s like.

    Reply
    • Lee says

      5/26/2011 at 7:48 pm

      I always wanted to give him a hug. Probably wouldn’t have been a good idea though. But yeah, I liked the way Linette put it too.

      Reply
  10. Tyler says

    5/26/2011 at 12:01 am

    Wow Lee, that is a moving picture, I had to go look at some of your more moving and happy pictures to feel better after this set of photos.*

    *Don’t change what you do though, excellent photography

    Reply
    • Lee says

      5/26/2011 at 7:48 pm

      Cheers Tyler!

      Reply
  11. domo. says

    5/26/2011 at 1:06 am

    I hope the man finds another friend who looks just as awesome in a kimono as his old one =)

    Reply
  12. Nausje says

    5/26/2011 at 4:40 pm

    Great photo’s and story! Very touching indeed. Whatever has become of this man, you have immortalized him in your photos!

    Reply
    • Lee says

      5/26/2011 at 7:50 pm

      Thanks Nausje. Hopefully he’s just found another park to go to…

      Reply
  13. MrSatyre says

    5/29/2011 at 5:11 am

    Heartbreaking. My best friend loves to sit in my lap and watch the birds and people whenever I’m sitting on a park bench. I hate to think of the day when I will be that old man, too…

    Reply
    • Lee says

      5/29/2011 at 11:39 am

      Yeah, I think that’s a huge part of the photos, it makes us think about things we really don’t want to…

      And yet at the same time, appreciate what we have.

      Reply
  14. arabesque says

    5/29/2011 at 10:58 pm

    there is always something in one’s expression sans dialogue that touches your heart.
    a poignant and a moving one.
    i hope despite the sad reality, he’s okay…

    Reply
  15. MrSatyre says

    1/14/2017 at 11:24 am

    This is now me. I am destroyed. It has come much, much too soon.

    Reply
    • Lee says

      1/14/2017 at 3:08 pm

      Really sorry to hear that. My thoughts go out to you.

      Reply

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