Nakano inugoya
he Nakano Inugoya (Nakano dog shelters) are a curiosity of Nakano Ward, where I live, commemorated by these dog sculptures outside the Nakano City office. In 1695/6, Tokugawa Tsunagyoshi (1646 - 1709), the 5th Tokugawa Shogun, built five shelters/kennels for wild dogs in the area now known as Nakano-ku. Similar kennels were also built Yotsuya and Okubo in Edo (Tokyo). Where were the kennels exactly? I mean, what was their precise geographic location? I don’t know. Does anyone know?
Owing to religious fundamentalism, Tsunayoshi sought protection for living beings in the later parts of his rule. In the 1690s and first decade of the 1700s, Tsunayoshi, who was born in the Year of the Dog, thought he should take several measures concerning dogs. Thus, he became known for instituting animal protection laws, particularly for dogs. This earned him the nickname of “the dog Shogun.”