Manga and anime have stimulated a lot of foreign interest in Japan in recent years. Now a Shiba dog has picked up the leash to become a Japanese sensation overseas.
Maru, an 8-year-old male Shiba that lives in Tokyo, has become a star on Instagram, with more than 2.4 million followers in Japan and abroad. Sometimes standing in a dignified posture with pointed ears and curled tail - traits characteristic of the breed that is native to Japan - Maru can be seen in daily updates on the social networking site.
Shinjiro Ono, a 42-year-old company owner in Tokyo, posts shots of his dog every day. Ono and his wife found Maru in a pet shop in December 2007 when he was a 2-month-old puppy and soon started recording his growth on Instagram.
Ono originally posted three photos of his pet daily in the wake of the Great East Japan Earthquake on March 11, 2011. His intention was to cheer up those affected by the disaster by posting snapshots of the adorable, round-faced Maru.
"There were only a few followers in the beginning," Ono said. "But within a month there were more than 5,000." He was astonished to learn that many of the viewers lived overseas.
In the days following the disaster, media around the world were covering the calm response of the Japanese. "The image of a Shiba dog standing straight, looking serene and resolute, may have fit the image that people overseas have of the Japanese," Ono said.
Kadokawa Corp. has published three photo books featuring Maru, which have been translated and published in South Korea, China and Taiwan.
About 90 percent of Maru's Instagram followers live overseas, with about 25 percent in the United States and a little more than 10 percent in China and Taiwan.
Today, Ono posts Maru's photos partly to express his appreciation for the support his compatriots received from overseas.
A Taiwan information technology company chose the canine star to introduce its latest product, a remotely controlled dog monitor, at Interpets, one of the largest pet events in Japan held at Tokyo Big Sight in Koto Ward, Tokyo, from March 31 to April 3.
On the opening day, Maru starred in a demonstration of Furbo, a camera-equipped device that allows dog owners to monitor their pets while they are away from home and can be remotely controlled with smartphones and similar devices using a special application.
Maru stood near the camera, while Ono remained some distance from his dog. A tablet in Ono's hand displayed live images of Maru. When Ono called Maru's name through the device's built-in speaker, he could hear Maru barking in response via a microphone installed in the device.
The monitor can also be remotely controlled to eject dog treats. Maru lunged to catch a treat when it was ejected from a hole in the device.
"Good job!" the spectators shouted.
Victor Chang, chief executive officer of Tomofun, which produced the monitor, said, "Watching Maru makes me cheerful."
Chang also said, "He's perfect to promote a dog monitor designed to make both dogs and their owners happy."
Chang plans to market Furbo this summer in the United States, Taiwan and Japan.
Maru's popularity also impressed officials of the Mie prefectural government. They commissioned Maru as the "Mie no Kuni Kanko Taishi" tourism ambassador in November. Maru visited the prefecture this March for a tourism promotion video.
A museum that exhibits photos, goods and photo books of Maru called Gallery Marusan opened last November near Nezu subway station in Tokyo.
Olivia Gare, a British tourist who visited the museum on April 12, said it was the first place she visited after arriving at Narita Airport the previous night. She said she had been following Maru on Instagram for six months.
The Washington Post
Thu May 12 2016
Maru has become a star on Instagram, with more than 2.4 million followers in Japan and abroad. Pix Washington Post.
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