A bronze statue commemorating popular Akita dog Wasao who earned nationwide popularity for his distinctive look and died last year was unveiled Monday at a ceremony in Ajigasawa a big white furry canine with a squinty-eyed face who earned the nickname "busa kawaii" (ugly-yet-cute) was funded by donations and set up in a roadside rest area in the town in Aomori Prefecture The once-abandoned dog was brought up by Setsuko Kikuya the late mother of Wasao's owner Tadamitsu Kikuya and served as a local ambassador and tourism stationmaster at a local train station After becoming an online and television sensation a movie titled "Wasao" based on his life was released in 2011 Ajigasawa residents began fundraising for the statue in September 2020 eventually collecting around 5.3 million yen ($47,000) The life-size statue received enthusiastic applause when it was revealed at a ceremony "He was a town hero," said Ajigasawa Mayor Mamoru Hirata in a speech "Having the statue as the town's new attraction we hope the memory (of Wasao) will touch people's hearts and bring smiles to their faces," he said "It's like (the statue) is alive," said Tadamitsu who attended the ceremony "I want people who want to cheer up to come and pet him." Akita dog English website launched by local newspaper company Popular unique-looking Akita dog Wasao dies Akita dog Wasao out to charm passengers as tourism stationmaster To have the latest news and stories delivered to your inbox Simply enter your email address below and an email will be sent through which to complete your subscription Please check your inbox for a confirmation email Thank you for reaching out to us.We will get back to you as soon as possible Your browser does not support JavaScript, or it is disabled．Please check the site policy for more information National Report Aomori Prefecture--A statue of a dog that grabbed the hearts of many in Japan for its "busa-kawa" (ugly-cute) looks was unveiled here on Nov The long-haired Akita dog named Wasao died in June last year at the presumed age of 13 The bronze statue was set up in this coastal town where its keeper came across the stray dog for the first time in 2007 and then adopted him Wasao soon became a mascot for her grilled squid shop After he was featured in numerous blogs and TV shows Ajigasawa named Wasao as special ambassador to promote the town A film with Wasao in it as the main character was released at movie theaters across Japan in 2011 the executive committee for Wasao Arigato (Thank you Wasao) was established to create a statue in memory and appreciation of the dog that played such a crucial role in promoting the town The committee raised 5.34 million yen ($47,000) for the statue from supporters all over Japan had also hoped that a statue of the dog would be created Among the people who gathered for the unveiling ceremony were the town's mayor and Kikuya's eldest son who was impressed by the way the statue turned out “I couldn't be happier with the statue,” he said “It's a faithful re-creation of Wasao with its fluffy coat Town to honor ‘ugly-cute’ dog Wasao with bronze statue Squid statue paid for with COVID-19 funds inks following in Noto New picture book aims to introduce Hachiko legend to kids overseas ‘Green frog’ train exhibited in Akita before 3rd life as tourist attraction Couple builds 3,000 custom wheelchairs to help dogs walk Information on the latest cherry blossom conditions Please right click to use your browser’s translation function.) A series based on diplomatic documents declassified by Japan’s Foreign Ministry Here is a collection of first-hand accounts by “hibakusha” atomic bomb survivors chefs and others involved in the field of food introduce their special recipes intertwined with their paths in life A series about Japanese-Americans and their memories of World War II In-house News and Messages No reproduction or republication without written permission was seen on duty as a tourism stationmaster at JR Ajigasawa station in Aomori Prefecture Widely known as "busa kawaii," which means "ugly and cute," the big white furry dog has held the job as stationmaster since 2011 Wasao lived on the street before becoming an online sensation after a blogger shared its story in 2008 Wasao was then appointed as stationmaster and ambassador for World Heritage-related activities in 2011 who has earned nationwide popularity for his unique looks The big white furry canine with a squinty-eyed face died Monday He has been widely referred to as "busa kawaii," a nickname combining two Japanese words -- "busaiku," meaning ugly and "kawaii," cute The once-abandoned dog in the town of Ajigasawa in the northeastern prefecture of Aomori was picked up by a local in 2007 before becoming an online sensation through blog articles and eventually rising to TV stardom A movie titled after him was also released in 2011 Wasao's activities included visits to areas devastated by the March 2011 earthquake and tsunami and serving as "tourism stationmaster" at his local JR Ajigasawa Station said Wasao's debilitation became visible in April after he was not able to stand on his own and his health condition rapidly deteriorated Sunday I feel proud to have been a family with Wasao," his owner and town assembly member Tadamitsu Kikuya Wasao Project plans to host a farewell event a large breed deriving from Akita Prefecture adjacent to Aomori has garnered international attention over the years Russian President Vladimir Putin received an Akita dog as a gift from the Akita governor in 2012 following his country's support for the 2011 disaster Olympic figure skating champion Alina Zagitova in 2017 received an Akita puppy from a group preserving the breed at a ceremony in Moscow attended by Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe author and political activist Helen Keller (1880-1968) treasured the companionship of dogs throughout her life including two Akita dogs that in the 1930s became the first of their kind known to have entered the United States The statue near Shibuya Station in Tokyo of Hachiko an Akita dog from the 1920s famed for loyally waiting for his deceased master for years is now a popular meeting spot in the district Please sign in with your Snow-Forecast account details below Create a free account to receive instant Snow-Alerts and save your favourite resorts on your personal MySnow page Aomori Spring (Ajigasawa) Weather (Next 3 days): The snow forecast for Aomori Spring (Ajigasawa) is: Light rain (total 2.0mm) Aomori Spring (Ajigasawa) Weather (Days 4-6): Heavy rain (total 20.0mm) Latest snow reports near Aomori Spring (Ajigasawa): Several North American ski areas that are still open plan to celebrate the unofficial Star Wars Day tomorrow The above table gives the weather forecast for Aomori Spring (Ajigasawa) at the specific elevation of 658 m. Our sophisticated weather models allow us to provide snow forecasts for the top, middle and bottom ski stations of Aomori Spring (Ajigasawa). To access the weather forecasts for the other elevations, use the tab navigation above the table. For a wider view of the weather, check out the Weather Map of Japan Click here to read further information on freezing levels and how we forecast our temperatures Overall: 3.6 Based on 2 votes and 1 review Karen Melville Ives from New Zealand writes: There is the option to stay on the mountain at the well-appointed Rockwood Spa Hotel The hotel offers good value packages that include accommodation We came to Japan for the first time this season in what is described as a ‘bad snow year’ but this resort has far exceeded our expectations The base snow level may not be as high as usual but 1.4-1.6m is still decent and the quality of snow is exceptional Snow is falling most days and the groomed trails are in pristine condition with plenty of untracked powder to be found off-piste as well as freestyle skiers and snowboarders and anyone looking for good open carving terrain Click here to submit your own review of Aomori Spring (Ajigasawa) View detailed snow forecast for Aomori Spring (Ajigasawa) at:snow-forecast.com Aomori Prefecture--Although primarily known as a hub of apple production this small town in northern Japan is branching out to produce rose wine made with watermelons grown here Town officials said the initiative is aimed at promoting a local specialty to draw more tourists to the area the watermelon wine is suitable as an aperitif or as a dessert beverage The town’s tourist association has commissioned Sun Mamoru Winery Inc to produce the wine at its second plant in Owani since the last business year that started in April 2021 While Ajigasawa is better known for its tasty apples it is also famed for watermelons in summer In the business year starting in April 2020 1,728 tons of watermelons were harvested in the town accounting for about 20 percent of all watermelons harvested in the prefecture A watermelon variety called Benimakura is used for wine-making it initially aimed to produce a wine only with watermelons But it retained the grassy smell unique to the cucurbitaceous plant when it was fermented The winery then mixed a white wine made with Steuben grapes from the Tsugaru region to achieve a rose wine with a sweet watermelon aroma “It retains a solid aroma and the flavor of watermelon It is not too sweet and is easy to drink,” said Mayor Mamoru Hirata after a wine tasting during a news conference held Nov A 720-milliliter bottle sells for 2,000 yen ($14.60) at the Wando seaside rest area in the town Two Yamanashi wines tag 2nd best at top world competition Aomori honors ‘ugly but cute’ Akita dog Wasao with own statue Confectionery in Japan creates hard candy that tastes like wine Please view the main text area of the page by skipping the main menu. The page may not be displayed properly if the JavaScript is deactivated on your browser Japanese version WASAO: The popular Akita dog Wasao has been assigned to serve as a stationmaster for Ajigasawa Station on the JR Gono Line in Ajigasawa He is "in charge" of tourism promotion for the current fiscal year through next March Poll results are published every Monday in The Guam Daily Post University of Guam students and faculty are leveraging international academic conferences to foster economic innovation and workforce development positioning the island as a hub for what School of Business and Public Administration Dean Roseann Jones Saturday’s Mad Collab Block Party in Hagåtña brought together more than 70 local businesses and artists in celebration with hundreds of attendees It was all about the wonders of Artificial Intelligence in the palm of your hand All of the latest features in Samsung's Galaxy AI were showcased at a GTA-sponsored event Thursday Your browser is out of date and potentially vulnerable to security risks.We recommend switching to one of the following browsers: Aomori Prefecture--A long-haired Akita Inu dog renowned for its "busa-kawa" (ugly-cute) looks is to be immortalized in bronze in his hometown here just like the world-renowned "Hachiko" statue in front of Tokyo's Shibuya Station prompting a drive for donations to create a monument in his honor The executive committee for the Wasao Arigato (Thank-you Wasao) project said it has raised 5.34 million yen ($48,700) so far The pattern for the life-size statue of the dog in a sitting position will be produced by Mio Hashimoto a sculptor based in Mie Prefecture known for wooden animal carvings while the statue itself will be crafted by Kurotani Bijutsu Ltd. a company in Toyama Prefecture involved in the creation of many monuments whose members include officials from the town's tourist association called on fans to make donations and companies to provide sponsorship money to honor and remember Wasao "So many people kindly showed their feelings for Wasao We are happy and feel a sense of responsibility at the same time," said Takeshi Kudo who is in charge of public relations at the executive committee "We hope the statue will make everyone feel like they are seeing Wasao." 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