Now, any dog can become an Akita dog. The photo stand-in for dogs (photo) in the dog run at the Futatsui Roadside Station (Futatsui Town, Noshiro City, Akita Prefecture) has become a popular spot through posts on social media.
The photo stand-in was installed with the cooperation of the Akita Dog Preservation Society (headquartered in Odate City, Akita) when the dog run opened in 2019. The design features a red fawn and brindle Akita dog looking down on the scenery of the Futatsui district. It is modeled after their Instagram post page and has hashtags (#) such as “#道の駅ふたつい” written on it.
According to the staff at the Futatsui Roadside Station, a post earlier this spring in which a Shiba dog was transformed into an Akita dog using the photo stand-in became a hot topic on Twitter, increasing inquiries and social media posts. The staff said, “We hope you will enjoy taking pictures of your dogs in various expressions.” The dog run is open 24 hours a day and requires no application.
