In what the doctors call a miracle, a man who went missing in western Japan survived in near-freezing weather without food and water for over three weeks by falling into a state similar to hibernation.

The Japanese man, Mitsutaka Uchikoshi, had almost no pulse, when he was rescued.

The nearby Kobe City General Hospital said his organs had all but shut down and his body temperature was 71 degrees Fahrenheit when he was discovered after 24 days of missing.

According to AP, Uchikoshi, 35, told reporters Tuesday before returning home from hospital, "On the second day, the sun was out, I was in a field, and I felt very comfortable. That's my last memory. I must have fallen asleep after that."

However, doctors believe Uchikoshi, fell into a state similar to hibernation and many of his organs slowed, but his brain was protected.

According to Dr. Shinichi Sato, head of the hospital's emergency unit, "I believe his brain capacity has recovered 100 percent."

Doctors treated Uchikoshi for severe hypothermia, multiple organ failure and blood loss from his fall, but said he was unlikely to experience any lasting ill effects.

However, the doctors have still not been able to solve the mystery of how exactly Uchikoshi survived for weeks with his metabolism almost at a standstill.