A Tale of Mari and Three Puppies

On the way home, Ryota Ishikawa and Aya Ishikawa encounter an abandoned Shiba Inu that keeps following them. At first, they hesitate to keep a dog because their father dislikes dogs, but the animal’s persistence wins them over, and they hide the dog at home. To make the adoption official, Aya tells their grandfather that she wants the dog for her birthday, and since he promised to grant her wishes, he reluctantly agrees. This sparks a tense quarrel between him and his son, who is weighing a move from their village of Yamakoshi to Nagaoka city to shorten travel time to the hospital and keep the children closer to school, despite the grandfather’s objections. The dog is named Mari, and she quickly becomes a cherished member of the family.

A year passes, and Mari gives birth to three puppies. That spring, animals begin acting strangely, hinting that something larger is coming. On 23 October 2004, the Chūetsu earthquake devastates the village. At that moment, only grandfather and Aya are at home, and they are pinned beneath a collapsed wardrobe. Mari moves her puppies to safety before trying to assist them, showing the dog’s protective instinct. Meanwhile, Ryota and his father are safe at school and later reach an emergency shelter, where rescuers from the Japan Self-Defense Forces search the area by helicopter. Mari notices the rescuers and guides them to Aya and the grandfather, enabling their evacuation by air. The grandfather loses a lot of blood, so the two are airlifted to safety. When Aya asks that Mari be evacuated as well, the rescuer reluctantly refuses, and his remorse is evident when the family reunites later at the shelter.

With the grandfather recovered, Mari remains with her puppies and waits for her owner. Aya, deeply moved by the dog’s loyalty, keeps quiet about Mari for a time. After the aftershocks subside, the village organizes a survey, and some families offer their places to help Ryota and Aya search for Mari again, spurred by the story that has circulated at the shelter. After a long search, there is no sign of Mari or the puppies, and the family prepares to give up. Then a puppy appears, followed by the rest of the litter, and the dogs are joyfully welcomed back to the shelter amid cheers from the villagers.

In 2005, the family moves into a temporary shelter as life slowly returns to normal. Mari stays with her three puppies, continuing to symbolize resilience and the deep bond between the dogs and the Ishikawa family.

Last Updated: October 09, 2025 at 16:36