Galaki on 25 March 2008
A 1 1/2-year-old black-and-white Chihuahua named Conan has become a celebrity in Japan after he began joining his master in daily prayers at Naha's Shuri Kannondo Zen Buddhist temple. "I think he saw me doing it all the time and got the idea to do it, too," priest Joei Yoshikuni said.
Conan reportedly goes though the routine -- sitting up on his hind legs and putting his front paws together before the altar -- without prompting each day before morning and evening meals. "Word has spread, and we are getting a lot more tourists," Yoshikuni said.
Yoshikuni said he wants to teach Conan how to meditate -- sort of. "Basically, I am just trying to get him to sit still while I meditate," he explained. "It's not like we can make him cross his legs."
Dog 'Prays' at Japanese Zen Temple
It took him only a few days to learn the motions, and now he is the talk of the town.
"Word has spread, and we are getting a lot more tourists," Yoshikuni said Monday.
Yoshikuni said Conan generally goes through his prayer routine at the temple in the capital of Japan's southern Okinawa prefecture (state) without prompting before his morning and evening meals.
"I think he saw me doing it all the time and got the idea to do it, too," Yoshikuni said.
The priest is now trying to teach him how to meditate.
Well, sort of.
"Basically, I am just trying to get him to sit still while I meditate," he explained. "It's not like we can make him cross his legs."
