A Japanese man heals a fish and becomes its lifelong friend.

A Japanese man heals a fish and becomes its lifelong friend.

Although relationships between humans and their domesticated pets are the most frequent, there are some unusual pairings that are immensely endearing. In actuality, Yoriko, a fish with a strangely human-like appearance, and 79-year-old scuba diver Hiroyuki Arakawa's special friendship have won the hearts of people all over the world.

 

At the age of 18, Arakawa started diving and has since fallen in love with being underwater. He was given the responsibility of overseeing the building of an underwater Shinto shrine gate that was being erected 56 feet below the surface around 30 years ago. Yoriko the Asian sheepshead wrasse (also known as a kobudai), who resides directly outside the shrine's entrance, was introduced to him at that time. Arakawa has paid Yoriko visits at her house in Tateyama Bay, Central Japan, throughout the years.

 

Yoriko's appearance is one of the friendship's most alluring elements. Because of the distinctive hump (kobu) on their foreheads that gives them an eerie, almost human aspect, kobudai are known as such in Japan. In an interview with Great Big Story, Arakaw said, "From the front, they seem like they have a human face if you look attentively. "If you look really closely, you'll think she looks familiar."

They had become used to being around one another over time. When Arakawa observed the fish had a wound one day, their shared knowledge was also significant. Yoriko couldn't catch her own food due to a mouth injury, which may have been fatal. He spent the following 10 days hand-feeding Yoriko flesh from crabs he pried open for her, determined to nurse his companion back to health.

 

Fortunately, Yoriko's recovery wasn't painful and she quickly returned to being her inquisitive self. What's best? The attachment between the fish and her savior seemed to have grown stronger. Arakawa acknowledges, "I think anyone can get an animal's attention by feeding them, but to touch or interact with them is harder to achieve." "I'd say we have a mutual understanding. Not that we communicate... I gave her one kiss. She will only allow me to do it.

The guy values their relationship regardless of whether or not the kobudai are inclined to form friendships of that type. "It's probably due to the trust that exists between us. She must be aware that I assisted her when she was seriously hurt and rescued her. I am happy that I was able to do it, adds Arakawa. I feel an incredible feeling of achievement.