Viral animal moments trend on Japanese social media

Viral social media posts in Japan have captured the attention of internet users through various animal encounters.

A Shiba Inu named Maru became a topic of discussion on X (formerly Twitter) after a video showed the dog's dramatic facial expression change. After receiving a treat from a friend during a walk, Maru's joyful expression instantly turned to a blank, disappointed look when the owner told the dog to ‘eat it later.’

In another trending post, a cat on Tashirojima, a known ‘cat island’ in Miyagi Prefecture, was photographed carrying a fish in its mouth. The image drew comparisons to the opening scene of the popular national anime ‘Sazae-san,’ garnering over 150,000 likes as users reacted to the lifelike depiction of the famous animation.