There is no bond like the one we have with our pets.
Pets bring a different sort of joy to our lives. They are loyal, and love us unconditionally. Their time here can be short – which makes them even more special.
When we think of pets, though, I imagine what comes to mind is a dog or cat. Maybe a horse or even a goat?
But what if I told you, there was a pet that could outlive you, by double your lifespan?
For one man in Tokyo, Japan, his companion has a bit of a leg up on the longevity of your typical pet. Hisao Mitani owns an African tortoise, which can live to be 150 years old.
Bon-Chan, who is 26-years old currently, spends his time wandering the streets of Tsukishima, Tokyo, with his owner.
Hisao Mitani walks with his African tortoise, Bon-Chan, around their neighborhood in Tokyo. Photo by Getty Images
Mitani, who is 69 years old, said that he got the spry pet when he fit in the palm of his hand. Now, weighing a svelte 155 pounds, the tortoise has become a fixture in his city, with people stopping to take pictures with the turtle and talk to Mitani.
@smile_enjoy_the_life #trending #viral #fypシ ♬ original sound – The Positive
Bon-chan was named after the Japanese Obon festival that occurs each year. The festival is a time to remember family members who have died, Mitani said, and it was during that time that he and his wife found the turtle.
“I never had any children, but 19 years ago my wife caught the eyes of this little tortoise and felt an instant bond with him,” Mitani said. “I couldn’t leave the store without it. But we had no idea he would become this big.”
Bon-chan was relatively small, he said, until about age 10. Then a sudden growth spurt meant the tiny turtle was no longer so tiny. That was about the time, he said, that they began their now-daily routine.
Mitani walks with Bon-Chan around the neighborhood, where he is nearly as popular as his tortoise.
“We walk the neighborhood and are pretty famous around here. African tortoises can live up to 150 years old, so Bon-chan is still in the prime of his life with energy to spare,” he said.
Mitani feeds his African tortoise, Bon-Chan, while on on of their daily walks. Photo by Getty Images
The dapper tortoise steals hearts with his tiny hats and scarves he often wears.
But it’s the bond between the pair that tugs at people’s hearts.
Said one commenter on a recent video of the pair, “Talk about friendship, consciousness and intelligence.” describing Bon-Chan.
Another commented, “Wow, what an incredible bond between Hisao Mitani and his pet tortoise! It must be such a unique experience to stroll around Tokyo’s neighborhoods together.”
Mitani, who is a funeral director, doesn’t have any plans to stop walking Bon-Chan anytime soon. The walks are now an important part
The tortoise, he said, loves his walks and knows the routes, which take about an hour and a half to complete because Bon-Chan isn’t exactly a sprinter.
“Bon-Chan knows the route by heart and is very strong-minded, so it is more me that follows him, than the other way around,” he said.
Mitani adjusts Bon-Chan’s hat at his funeral home in Tokyo, Japan. Photo by Getty Images
Mitani said that while he knows the turtle will likely outlive him, that doesn’t stop him from enjoying the time he has with Bon-Chan. But he does plan on finding him a new home when can no longer walk him.
“I hope there will be a person who’ll tell me that he or she can take care of Bon-chan,” Mitani said. “I assume that I can walk with Bon-Chan another 10 years.”
For now, though, the tortoise lives in a pen at Mitani’s funeral home, where visitors can see him when they walk in.
“Some people may say it’s absurd to keep such a big tortoise at the entrance of a funeral service. But even in their time of sadness, people smile when they see him, so I don’t think it’s a bad idea to have him,” Mitani said.
What a wonderful companion Bon-Chan is. Watch below for a look at the duo on one of their daily walks.
