On the final day of the holiday, under clear skies, I took Anne, my Flat-Coated Retriever, to a large dog show held at Tokyo Big Sight.
The event was the JKC Sakura Annual Show 2026, one of the largest dog shows in Japan.
I have been thinking that, after I retire, I might participate with Anne myself. For that, I wanted her to get used to the atmosphere.
The last show we attended was relatively small—something like a regional meeting in academic terms. But this one was on a completely different scale, more like an international congress.
The moment we entered the hall, it was overwhelming: dogs, dogs, dogs—and people, people, people. In fact, it even felt like there were more dogs than people.
Large dogs, rare breeds, beautifully groomed show dogs—one after another, dogs I had never seen before appeared in front of us.
As before, Anne did not seem to enjoy the environment very much. She kept stepping backward, sometimes almost slipping out of her leash.
We even tried a training session for the first time, but it seemed we gave the instructor a bit of trouble. In the end, both Anne and I were simply exhausted.
Still, I was impressed by the sheer scale of the event. Organizing something like this must require tremendous effort.
In many ways, it felt just like an annual academic meeting—complete with corporate booths and an incredible amount of human energy.
It was enjoyable, yes—but also deeply tiring.
The one comforting moment was when someone said, “What a beautiful dog.”
I can’t help wondering whether I can really become a handler at the age of 65.
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