Disability Futures

"Kami" as he was soon nicknamed, shared Miss Keller's stateroom on the journey and he quickly became the attention of all the passengers who showered him with attention. During the sixteen days of crossing a profound devotion developed between the two, Kami showed a special sensitivity to Miss Keller's emotions as she related: "If I cried from loneliness for my beloved teacher, he would put his big paw on my knee and press his cool nose against my cheek and lick away the tears." Miss Keller's beloved teacher, Ann Sullivan, had died in October the year before.

Tragically, Miss Keller lost little "Kami" at the young age of 7 1/2 months to distemper. Her grief was so deep, in devastation she cried "....another joy has gone out of my life." She wrote Mr. Ogasawara, in part: "If ever there was an angel in fur, it was Kamikaze. I know I shall never feel quite the same tenderness for any other pet......."

Later, once again Mr. Ogasawara provided a special Akita for Miss Keller, this one was to be the beautiful golden red litter brother to Kamikaze named "Kenzan-Go", he was over 24 inches tall and about 100 pounds.  Kenzan-Go was an "official gift of the Japanese Government" and it wasn't until after Kenzan-Go's arrival to a Brooklyn pier on the 1st day of July, 1939, as she departed to greet him, that Miss Keller learned  of Ichiro Ogasawara's gracious donation and of Kenzan-Go's relation to her precious "Kami".  Miss Keller and Miss Thomson waited anxiously on the pier from midnight till midday for the precious cargo to be unloaded.  The magnificent Akita came to her side, there to remain, as he knew it was for her he had journeyed.

Miss Keller often affectionately referred to him as "Go-Go".  Kenzan-Go settled in nicely to his new home with Miss Keller in Connecticut, he would move easily amongst her prized treasures from Japan, from jade carvings, elegant vases, objects of ivory and porcelain to beautiful rosewood and teak furniture, never even brushing against them.