I went to “Akita Dog Visitor Center” in Odate City, Akita Prefecture, the hometown of the faithful dog Hachiko!

“Akita Dog Visitor Center” in Odate City, Akita Prefecture is an “Akita Dog Museum” where you can enjoy learning about Akita dogs. It is a tourist facility where you can meet cute Akita dogs in the “Akita Dog Exhibition Room” and purchase Akita dog goods.

Synopsis of “Faithful Dog Hachiko”

Speaking of Akita dogs, Hachi is so famous that the bronze statue of “Hachiko, the faithful dog” in front of Shibuya station comes to mind. In 1924, when Hachi was a puppy, he was given to Dr. Eisaburo Ueno, a professor at the University of Tokyo, who lived near Shibuya Station in Tokyo. Dr. Ueno was very fond of Hachi, and Hachi made it his daily routine to pick up and drop Dr. Ueno off to work in front of Shibuya Station. However, in 1925, Dr. Ueno died suddenly at the University of Tokyo. Even after Dr. Ueno’s sudden death, Hachi continued to come to Shibuya station every day and waited for 10 years until Hachi died.In 1934, a bronze statue of Hachi was erected in front of Shibuya Station with donations from many people moved by Hachi’s beautiful story.

Highlights of Akita Dog Visitor Center

Exterior of Akita Dog Visitor Center modeled after Shibuya Station in the 1920s

The exterior of “Akita Dog Visitor Center” is modeled after the second generation Shibuya Station in the 1920s, when Hachi continued to wait for Dr. Ueno. By the way, the Hachiko statue in Akita Dog Visitor Center is modeled after him when he was young, so his ears stand straight up. Hachi was bitten by another dog only once in his later years, after which his left ear drooped. The Hachiko statue at Shibuya Station is modeled after Hachiko in his later years, so his injured left ear is drooping.

“Stuffed toy tower” modeled after Akita dog Masaru

Inside the facility, there is a “plush toy tower” modeled after the Akita dog “Masaru” that was presented to Russian figure skater Alina Zagitova, and is a very popular photo spot. There are over 160 stuffed animals.

“Akita dog exhibition room” where you can interact with Akita dogs

In the “Akita dog Exhibition Room” in the facility, you can interact with Akita dogs through the fence.

“Aogaeru (blue frog)” relocated from Shibuya Station to Akita Dog Visitor Center

The train at Akita Dog Visitor Center is a former Tokyu 5000 series train, nicknamed “Aogaeru (blue frog),” which was used for a long time as a tourist information center in Hachiko Square at Shibuya Station. It was relocated to Odate City, Hachiko’s hometown, in 2020 due to the redevelopment of the Shibuya Station area.

Access to Akita Dog Visitor Center

About 4 hours by Akita Shinkansen from JR Tokyo Station to JR Akita Station.It takes about 2 hours from JR Akita Station to JR Odate Station by taking a local train on the JR Ou Main Line.

Alternatively, take the Tohoku Shinkansen from JR Tokyo Station to JR Shin-Aomori Station for about 3 hours.About 1 hour from JR Shin-Aomori Station to JR Odate Station by taking the JR Ou Main Line Limited Express.

1 minute-walk from JR Odate Station.