Interesting! Names and secret stories of great men's dogs [Saigo Takamori and his beloved dog]

Spring is a fun season for walking your dog! But it's also hay fever season.
Did you know that dogs can also suffer from hay fever?
Dogs don't sneeze or have runny noses, but pollen can act as an allergen, causing skin symptoms. If you suspect your dog may have hay fever, take him to your veterinarian as soon as possible.

Today's theme is "interesting names." Of course, these aren't people's names.
We'll introduce the names of dogs owned by great people.

The History of Dogs and Humans

Living with dogs isn't limited to modern humans. The history of human and dog coexistence is long, dating back as far as 15,000 years ago. At the time, dogs were wild animals, but they were domesticated for hunting purposes, marking the beginning of the relationship between humans and dogs.

In Japan, coexistence with dogs is believed to have already begun approximately more than 10,000 years ago. Dogs were not only hunting partners, but were also treasured family members and worshipped as gods.

Given such a long history between dogs and humans, we wondered if some of the most notable figures in history also lived with dogs, so we decided to investigate.

Takamori Saigo and his dog Tsun

When we think of great men and dogs, the first name that comes to mind for Japanese people is probably Saigo Takamori.

Saigo and His Statue

Saigo Takamori was born in 1828 to a low-ranking samurai family in the Satsuma Domain, now Kagoshima Prefecture.
He later became the leader of the Satsuma Domain, and together with Ryoma Sakamoto and Takayoshi Kido, he overthrew the shogunate and became a key figure in the Meiji Restoration.

He later participated in politics under the new government and returned to Satsuma, where he founded a school to train military officers. However, his estrangement from the new government intensified, and he ultimately died at the age of 49 during the Seinan War.

Speaking of Saigo, there's the statue of Saigo Takamori in Ueno.
Wait, wasn't Saigo from Satsuma?
The reason the statue is in Ueno is because Ueno is where Saigo led the new government forces to a spectacular victory against the former shogunate forces, and it was erected in honor of his achievements.

By the way, the bronze statue was erected in 1898, after Saigo died in the Satsuma Rebellion. As a result, some people complained that it was inappropriate for a traitor to wear a military uniform, so the statue depicted Saigo, who was supposed to be a soldier, in a yukata...

What was the name of Saigo's dog?

Saigo Takamori, known as a dog lover, is also depicted with his dog in the statue. Do you know the name of Saigo's dog?
The name of Saigo's dog, which is also depicted on the statue, is... "Tsun."

... Tsun?

The reason is quite simple: the dog had ears that stood up.
(Isn't that a bit too simple...lol?)
But it's heartwarming to imagine the strong Saigo calling him "Tsun."

Saigo's pet dog, Tsun, was a female Satsuma dog. Satsuma dogs, known for their pointed ears, are now widely bred, and purebred Satsuma dogs are believed to have become extinct around 1920.

By the way, the dog in the bronze statue is not Tsun. Tsun is female, but the dog in the statue is male. The dog in the statue is Sawa, a dog owned by a military officer from Satsuma, Kagenobu Nirei. When the statue was erected, Tsun had already passed away, and instead, the male dog Sawa was used as the model, so the statue is also a male.

By the way, the real Tsun statue is located on the side of the approach to Fujikawa Tenjin Shrine (the shrine where Saigo Takamori and Tsun met).

Saigo and Tsun Meet

Saigo founded the new government, but gradually differences in his views with the new government led to a gap between them and the government, leading to his return to Satsuma. Although Saigo had previously led a life of intense fighting, including the anti-shogunate movement, he became completely inactive after returning to his hometown.

Combined with his penchant for sweets, Saigo was diagnosed with obesity by his doctor. Realizing this was not good, Saigo began exercising, hiking in the mountains and hunting rabbits in an effort to lose weight.

One day, Saigo encountered Tsun in the grounds of a shrine called Fujikawa Tenjin. Tsun was helping out a man named Maeda Zenbei with rabbit hunting. Hearing that Tsun was good at rabbit hunting, Saigo offered to give him the dog, but was told "No."

Saigo then turned to local influential figures for help, and in the end, Maeda Zenbei, overcome by Saigo Takamori's enthusiasm, gave in and gave Tsun to him.

What!? Wasn't Tsun originally Saigo Takamori's dog?

Saigo Takamori and His Beloved Dogs

Saigo Takamori, known as a dog lover, lived with over 10 dogs while he was in Tokyo. This continued even after he returned to Satsuma, and it's said that he even accompanied them to battle during the Seinan War...

It's said that at the end, he removed the collars of all the dogs, saying, "I want to save at least the dogs," and let them go free. Later, Saigo was killed by the new government, and his dogs were captured.

Summary

What did you think?
Even famous people who have left their mark on history and later become known as great people have lived with dogs.
Some of them have rather amusing names, but each one has its own story, and sometimes even hidden stories that reflect their greatness.

Please take the time to research the names of great people and their beloved dogs!
You may discover unexpected names from unexpected people, or discover some interesting or heartwarming stories.