By KOICHI YOSHIDA/ Staff Writer
November 13, 2023 at 07:00 JST
ODATE, Akita Prefecture--Hachiko, the loyal Akita Inu dog that waited for his master’s return at Shibuya Station in Tokyo every day for years after his death, has returned to his hometown here 100 years after his birth.
This time, however, he’s digital.
A hologram version of the canine’s bronze statue found outside the station in Tokyo has been installed at the Akita Dog Visitor Center to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the dog’s birth.
“More and more generations have no knowledge of Hachiko’s story, even in Akita Prefecture, his birthplace,” an official of Odate in the prefecture said. “We want children to learn about him on this occasion.”
GMO Digital Hachiko is on display at the tourism exchange facility until the end of November.
The image of Hachiko is modeled after the bronze statue, as well as other Akita Inu dogs.
The hologram statue is about 170 centimeters tall, including its mount, 85 cm wide and 85 cm deep.
Visitors can use a digital panel to the right of the hologram to get the digital canine to paw at them and lie down.
They can also choose a background from eight countries and pick a costume for the holographic dog and take him for a walk.
Hachiko was born in the village of Niida (present-day Odate) in 1923 and lived in the Shibuya district until his death in 1935.
The digital statue was produced in 2019 by Shibuya Ward-based GMO Internet Group Inc. with the assistance of a local tourism association and other entities. It was established at Shibuya Fukuras, a commercial complex housing the information technology firm’s second main office.
The digital display is set up near the entrance to the in-house museum at the visitor’s center.
A 10-minute video about Hachiko produced by GMO is also being shown on a monitor next to the holographic statue throughout the day.
The venue is open daily from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Admission is free.
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GMO Digital Hachiko, a holographic display of the loyal dog, greets visitors at the Akita Dog Visitor Center in Odate, Akita Prefecture. (Provided by GMO Internet Group Inc.)
