Part-time wolf walks on the wild side

A young engineer from Tokyo has a unique way of relaxing at the end of a hard working week. By day Toru Ueda works as an inspector of highways. In his free time he invites over a few friends, serves them tea or beer and dresses up as a giant wolf.

His wolf suit was tailor-made by a company that creates costumes and models for television and film production. It cost ¥3 million (NZ$36,000). Despite the huge outlay, Ueda, 32, does not wear it for fancy dress parties, and says that he would be uncomfortable parading in it down the streets of Tokyo.

Rather than showing off, it satisfies a deep personal need, rooted in a fascination with animals. ‘‘When I wear my costume I feel I’m no longer human. All kinds of troubles, related to work and other things – I can forget about them.

‘‘When I look in the mirror, I see a wolf, and that is very moving. I’m not a werewolf – that’s a kind of monster, and I am not a monster.’’ –