Guide Dog Yena: A Dog That Challenges Miracles and Achieves Dreams

Author: (Japanese) Ishiguro Kengo
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2006-01-01
Features: The original title of this book is "Climbing Mount Fuji with a Guide Dog, Noa." It primarily tells the touching story between the guide dog Noa and the middle-aged blind man, Miyamoto Musashi. Noa is a Labrador Retriever of excellent lineage, possessing the essential qualities of a guide dog—calmness and composure—which enabled her to overcome her own timidness and, in a year and a half, become a late-blooming guide dog. Afterward, she accompanied the blind Miyamoto Musashi, embodying the spirit of courage and fearlessness, to successfully summit Mount Fuji, embark on a tour of 100 Kannon temples, participate in super marathons, run across Japan for 3,400 kilometers, and accomplish the remarkable feat of climbing Japan's three major mountains. Noa helped Miyamoto realize his dreams, making him believe that "being blind is also a form of happiness." Their resilience, bravery, independence, perseverance, and joy in action are all vividly portrayed in the author's simple yet sincere narration.
About the protagonist: Miyamoto Musashi, born in Osaka in 1938. At the age of 30, he suffered from bleeding in the retina and became completely blind by his 40s. He once contemplated suicide, but meeting the guide dog Chute rekindled his hope for life. Through participating in the visually impaired marathon, he officially began his running career. By the age of 58, he had completed marathons. Additionally, with Noa, he embarked on a tour of 100 Kannon temples and achieved successful ascents of Mount Tateshina and Mount Fuji. In 1999, he challenged the 3,400-kilometer cross-country run across Japan. From the Shiretoko Misaki in Hokkaido to the Izu Misaki in Okinawa, he completed the entire journey in 66 days. Now, he continues to participate in super marathons across the country with his third guide dog, Mei Mei.
Noa (1985–2002), an energetic Labrador Retriever, was the offspring of a champion dog from a selection competition and a bloodline-excellent guide dog named Hero Mother. She was a beloved foster dog cared for by the Ino couple and was once a somewhat timid "problem dog." However, she possessed the essential qualities of a guide dog—calmness and composure—and, in a year and a half, became a late-blooming guide dog. She accompanied the blind Miyamoto Musashi to successfully summit Mount Fuji, completed the tour of 100 Kannon temples, participated in marathons and super marathons, and achieved the remarkable feat of climbing all three of Japan's major mountains. She holds a "Mount Fuji Summit Certificate" and may also be the guide dog who has run the most marathons in the world.