Wasao, a famous Akita Inu dog in Japan, passed away on June 9, "living" for nearly 13 years, equivalent to 90 years old, according to Japan Times. In Japan, Wasao is known by many people for his fluffy white fur, adorable appearance and loyalty. The dog is often called busa kawaii by his hometown people, a slang word combining the two words busaiku (ugly) and kawaii (cute) in Japanese.
Wasao was once known to many people through the story of being abandoned and wandering around Japan before being adopted.
In 2007, Wasao was found sick and abandoned in Ajigasawa town, Aomori prefecture. Setsuko, the owner of a local grocery store, took him in and cared for him. Since then, Wasao has lived in the love of his owner. After that, Wasao became famous thanks to his pictures posted on blogs and appeared regularly on Japanese television as well as on the covers of magazines and photo books.
Wasao the dog has a fluffy white coat and narrow eyes, different from his friends, so Wasao is also known as busa kawaii, which means cute ugliness.
In 2011, the movie Wasao, starring the dog as the main character to tell his life story, was released in Japan, making the dog even more famous and loved by many people across the country.
Wasao movie poster
In the same year, Wasao became the stationmaster at Ajigasawa Station. The local government also appointed Wasao's "wife" Tsubaki as the deputy stationmaster, and his "daughter" Chome as an intern at the station.
Wasao's small family receives a large following on social networks thanks to their adorable appearance.
In addition, the dog also takes on the role of ambassador for tourism and cultural promotion activities in the region. When the earthquake and tsunami occurred in Japan in 2011, Wasao appeared in the devastated areas to encourage people after the disaster.
Wasao Project, the dog's support group, said his health took a turn for the worse in late April. His age left him unable to walk unsteadily and he was eating poorly. By June, Wasao was getting weaker.
“Thank you for everything. I feel proud to have been with Wasao and become a family,” Tadamitsu Kikuya, a town council member, said after the dog passed away. A memorial service is planned for the local people of Ajigasawa.
