This party was off the leash.
On June 12, about 100 Shiba Inus and their owners held an exclusive gathering in a small park on avenue Casgrain and rue Bernard as part of Montreal's first-ever Japan Week, a mixture of both online and in-person events that celebrated all things Japanese.
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The gathering was hosted by YATAI MTL, a festival dedicated to Japanese food and culture, which launched Japan Week in lieu of holding an in-person event at a Mile End park due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Yasuko Tadakoro I Courtesy of Yatai MTL
Yasuko Tadakoro I Courtesy of Yatai MTL
To keep the event from being hounded by dog-lovers, participants had to preregister online, respect strict health guidelines, and send a photo of their Shiba Inus as proof of ownership.
Yasuko Tadakoro I Courtesy of Yatai MTL
Yasuko Tadakoro I Courtesy of Yatai MTL
Guests were only informed of the meeting place a few days in advance.
Yasuko Tadakoro I Courtesy of Yatai MTL
Yasuko Tadakoro I Courtesy of Yatai MTL
But that didn’t stop one person from sneaking in what appears to be a beagle corgi mix, though it was quickly spotted and adorably set upon. "Sanji a trouvé un imposteur au rassemblement de shiba," stated one social media commenter.
Yasuko Tadakoro I Courtesy of Yatai MTL
Yasuko Tadakoro I Courtesy of Yatai MTL
Yasuko Tadakoro I Courtesy of Yatai MTL
Yasuko Tadakoro I Courtesy of Yatai MTL
Yasuko Tadakoro I Courtesy of Yatai MTL
Japan Week ran from June 7 to 13. Other events included a karaoke competition, a sake workshop, and a food tour of some of the city’s best Japanese retail shops and restaurants.