- Tougen Yoshihara, a monk in Niigata, adopted a loud dog deemed unwanted by previous owners.
- While walking in the woods, Yoshihara faced a bear and fell, dislocating his shoulder.
- Chico, his one-year-old Beagle, bravely barked at the bear, causing it to flee.
Tougen Yoshihara, a Japanese Buddhist monk who adopted an abandoned dog, deemed too loud by its previous owners, received the reprieve of a lifetime when the same dog protected him during a bear attack. Mr Yoshihara, the abbot of Youkoku Temple, a historic temple in Niigata in central Japan, was on a walk in the woods near the temple last month when the unexpected encounter took place.
Mr Yoshihara, alongside his one-year-old Beagle, Chico, was suddenly flanked by a 1.6-metre-tall bear who looked ominous, according to a report in the South China Morning Post. In the fight or flight mode, Mr Yoshihara decided to take off but stumbled and fell, trying to engineer an escape.
The tumble was severe and resulted in an instant dislocated right shoulder, further lowering Mr Yoshihara's chances of survival against the apex predator. Despite being physically fit and having an exceptional muscular physique, all Mr Yoshiara could do was feel helpless in the situation.
With the odds stacked against him, the 45-year-old monk was ready to throw in the towel until Chico intervened. Displaying extraordinary courage, the little puppy started barking fiercely at the bear. Eventually, the bear got scared and ran away with Chico running after it.
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As Chico drifted deeper into the woods, Mr Yoshihara gathered himself and ran after him, despite the intense pain from his shoulder. While searching the forest, he received a call from his wife who informed him that Chico had returned home.
Overwhelmed by the news, Mr Yoshihara started crying before returning to his faithful dog, beaming with pride. He now prefers to call Chico his "saviour". While Mr Yoshihara may have saved Chico earlier by giving it a home, the puppy has returned the love equally by putting its life on the line and saving the monk.
Notably, the Niigata prefecture, where Mr Yoshihara narrowly escaped the bear attack, is known for regular sightings of bears. As per local media, over 160 bear sightings have been reported this year alone, alongside two injuries resulting from bear attacks.
