Man takes giant tortoise for walkies and treats it like his son

The pair go on two hour walks together, share their secrets and even wear matching homemade outfits

A childless man has become a viral sensation after being filmed treating his 70kg pet tortoise like his own son.
He takes it on two hour walks and even dresses it in homemade clothes matching his own.
When Japanese funeral director Mitani Hisao, 62, spotted a five-centimetre baby tortoise in a pet shop in Tokyo, he knew the animal would become his best friend.
But 19 years later the tortoise, named Bon-chan, has grown dramatically - his shell is now 2 foot 5 inches (75cm) in diameter.

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Famous faces: Mitani Hisao and his tortoise are well loved characters in their neighbourhood

The unlikely pair attract attention wherever they go on their two hour outings around the city dressed in their homemade outfits.
Mitani said: "I never had any children, but 19 years ago my wife caught the eyes of this little tortoise and felt an instant bond with him. I couldn't leave the store without it.
"But we had no idea he would become this big."

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Huge: The 70kg animal captured the hearts of Mitani and his wife as a baby when it was just five centimetres long

And despite his lack of offspring, Mitani is happy to refer to the 70kg creature as his son.
He added: "Bon-chan is the only one in my family that listens to me, so I confide in him all the time. I just say his name and he walks over to me.
"He knows all my dirty secrets - if he could talk I would be in trouble."

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Special bond: Mitani spills all his secrets to the tortoise

Over the years the pair have bonded and now Mitani cherishes the long and relaxing walks - despite the attention it brings.
The pair wear matching homemade outfits prepared by their neighbour to protect Bon-chan - an African spurred tortoise - from the cold in the winter months.
Mitani said: "I get a lot of compliments because of the outfits.

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Matching: Mitani will also take his tortoise out for a walk as they both wear matching outfits

"The purse I am carrying is for carrots, some cabbage, and plastic bags to pick up his poop and a water bottle to wash away his urine from the pavement.
"I'm pretty patient, but Bon-chan is actually not that slow. I take him out for walks two to three times a week, he loves these walks, he has a set route that takes us around 1.5 hours.
"Bon-chan knows the route by heart and is very strong-minded, so it is more me that follows him, than the other way around. We walk the neighbourhood and we are pretty famous around here.

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"If there is a cute girl passing us, he will start following the girl."
The unusual pet is also a welcome addition to Mitani's business - a funeral home.
He said: "When people come to me, they are sad. But seeing Bon-chan brings a smile to their face. I'm proud my son has that effect on people."

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