Picture of Dalmatian Ukiyo-e

Origin Story

Once upon a time there was a young Dalmatian named Kuro. He had grown up in the Japanese countryside and loved to explore the surroundings. One day, while walking along the river, he saw a beautiful painting hanging from a nearby tree. He approached to observe more closely and saw that it was an ukiyo-e painted by the artist Hiroshige. The canvas depicted Kuro standing by the river with a mountainous landscape in the background. Amazed by its beauty, Kuro decided to stop to take a longer look at the painting.


As he stared at the painting, he noticed tears streaming down his face. Surprised by this strange phenomenon, he wondered what could make him so sad. Suddenly he heard a soft voice behind him: "I understand you." It was Hiroshige who had come to admire his work and have a chat with Kuro. The old man explained to Kuro that all living beings have deep and complex feelings that they don't always share with others; but through art you can express those feelings without saying a word and touch people's hearts.


Kuro was touched by this conversation and then understood why he was crying in front of this painting: his eyes reflected the sadness he had felt for a long time but had never been able to express openly. After talking with Hiroshige for several hours, Kuro resumed his journey feeling finally free to express his emotions without fear or shame.