Shippeitaro

Do you know the story of Shippeitarō?

It is a hero dog from a Japanese fairy tale. He is also known under many different names, including Shippūtarō and Hayatarō.

In the story, this good boy saves a maiden from being sacrificed to malevolent spirits, commonly depicted as either monkeys or cats. In some versions, he gets mortally wounded and dies shortly after the struggle, gaining a favour of the local priest who gives the dog a respectful burial and offers prayers for his soul. In other versions, Shippeitarō simply returns to his owner and continues to live a happy life.

Shippeitarō appears to be connected to Kōzen-ji temple (Nagano Prefecture, Japan), and to commemorate his bravery, the temple erected a memorial in his name, and to this day sells omamori charms with his depictions; so, if you ever happen to find yourself in Nagano, you can visit Shippeitarō's grave in the temple and tell him how much of a good boy he is - I am sure he'll appreciate it!