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June 26, 2026
Series: Akiko Shibunai's "The Color of Memory" | On Rose Quartz and an Orange Cat
LOUNGE | Series: Akiko Shibauchi's "The Color of Memory"
The author has always cherished animals as companions that enrich life, even before the concept of companion animals became common in Japan. This is a gentle, colorful essay from childhood to the present, written by the director of Akasaka Animal Hospital and as an individual.
Text & Photograph by SHIBANAI Akiko
A Cat Reflected in Rose Quartz
I can't recall exactly when, but it was likely during my childhood. My mother or grandmother passed down to me a rose quartz necklace. There's no record of where it came from or who made it. It's an oval stone with a noble, serene impression, attached to a delicate gold clasp and fine chain. The clasp is tiny and very difficult to fasten. I fail five times trying to secure it behind my neck. Despite this, I didn't pay it much mind for a long time.
Recently, I've suddenly come to feel, "I love this rose quartz," and I wear it often. Though it was likely made decades ago, I feel a sense of careful craftsmanship and am delighted each time I look at it. Wearing it, I even feel as though it possesses a special power, as if it supports and encourages me. It feels like family, offering unconditional support. Perhaps the fact that my name shares a character with 'quartz' and that it was passed down to me contributes to this feeling.
The rose quartz smoothly reflects its surroundings, remaining clear yet appearing clouded. I'd heard it could reveal a star when light is shone upon it, so I tried directing a light at it, but no star appeared. Nevertheless, my affection for this stone only deepens, regardless of such things.
As I work at my desk, gazing at the quartz to relax, an orange cat jumps onto my lap. The rose quartz smoothly reflects the cat's face as well, capturing its large, yellow, jewel-like eyes and narrow pupils without omission. The cat, apparently unsatisfied with just being reflected, nudges my hands with its face and gives gentle nips while I work, chattering all the while.
It demands, "Pay attention to me!" and perhaps, "Give me extra treats." Even when I'm petting it, it suddenly starts to nip quite hard. This orange cat is a rescue; it was found 12 years ago, alone and running in the underground parking lot of Marunouchi, Chiyoda Ward. Those who rescued it said it was completely clean and didn't look like a stray that had been living outdoors. They suspected someone might have abandoned it by car.
Strangely, this kitten, whose origins and reason for running in the underground parking lot near the Imperial Palace in Marunouchi remain unknown, is now my treasure. The orange cat has become the master of our living room, cherished by the family.
Akiko Shibauchi
Director of Akasaka Animal Hospital. After graduating from the College of Bioresource Sciences, Nihon University, she worked in research labs such as the Clinical Pathology Laboratory at Nihon Veterinary and Zootechnical College before becoming director of her current hospital in 2016. As the third-generation director, following her father and mother, she promotes companion animal medicine and care centered on the "Human-Animal Bond." Her specialties include internal medicine, general surgery, and regenerative medicine. She has also served as a former member of the Veterinary Affairs Council of the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, and as a part-time lecturer at the Department of Veterinary Medicine, College of Bioresource Sciences, Nihon University. She is dedicated to social contribution through veterinary medicine, including support for the coexistence of the elderly and animals, and animal therapy activities, with the lifelong theme of "creating a society where humans and animals can live happily together."