Ōdate City (大館市) in Akita Prefecture is where loyal Hachikō came from. Although most of his life was spent in Tokyo, you can find Hachikō’s statues all over the city! So, one of the reasons that people visit his hometown is to see the Akitas. It is hard to resist to not love those cute, fluffy dogs! While you might come across a couple of Akitas when exploring Ōdate, you wouldn’t want to rely on your luck to run into a local who is walking an Akita. Thus, include the spots in this article in your itinerary so you can certainly meet at least one!
Akita Dog Visitor Center (大館市観光交流施設「秋田犬の里」)
Just a short three-minute walk from JR Ōdate Station, you can see the real Akitas! The bronze Hachikō statue in front of Shibuya Station is cute too, but it can never beat the real, fluffy dog (*´ω｀).
Here at Akita Dog Visitor Centre, you get to learn about and meet Akitas for free!
Although there are currently only four Akitas in the center, you should still be able to meet at least one of them (but better than nothing, isn’t it!).
The dogs will meet you from Tuesday to Sunday between 9:30 am and 4:45 pm.
One thing to note is that because most Akitas don’t generally show strangers much affection, they are likely not to allow strangers to pet them, either. For the doggo’s mental health reasons, patting the dogs in the center would not be allowed.
Apart from the Akita Dog Showroom, there is an Akita Dog Museum where you can learn about the Akita’s bloodline and characteristics (English available) and a Souvenir Corner where you can grab as many Akita-themed goodies home!
Tip: There is also a terrace area with a panoramic view of Ōdate City (^_-)-☆.
Hand Rowing Minecart (手こぎトロッコ) at Akita Dog Visitor Center
On weekends and public holidays from the end of April to the beginning of November, you can board the “hand rowing minecart” that runs on the track of the former Kosaka Railway (旧小坂鉄道) at the back of the center’s car park.
- The cost is 200 yen per person.
- The cart can take up to four people.
- Fefer to the official website HERE for a photo of the hand rowing minecart
Bicycle Rental from Akita Dog Visitor Center
Given the attractions in Ōdate City being quite distant from each other, how about getting a rental bike from the center?
- Rental bike services are available from 9 am to 4:30 pm from April to November.
- It only costs 300 yen for up to 4 hours and 500 yen for a whole-day rental.
- You will need to return the bike by 4:30 pm.
- Please contact the center if you have trouble doing so at +81-186-57-8120.
Akita Dog Visitor Center’s Opening Hours and Access Information
- Akita Dog Visitor Center is open from 9 am to 5 pm daily except on December 31st and January 1st.
- The Akita Dog Showroom is open daily except Mondays from 9:30 am to 4:45 pm.
- If Monday is a public holiday, it will close the next business day.
- Note the dogs have their break time during the day.
- It is just a 3-minute walk away from JR Ōdate Station, which you can easily get to by taking a JR train from JR Akita Station.
Akita Dog Museum (秋田犬会館)
When you visit Ōdate City, we highly recommend you visit the Akita Dog Museum unless you are not a dog person, of course!
If you visit the museum on a sunny day from 10 am to 4 pm between mid-April and mid-November, you will find two Akitas outside the building waiting for your arrival!
Tip: Visit the museum on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays between 9 am and 3:30 pm to meet the Akitas. The outdoor kennel is open from mid-April to late November. You can also check out their Twitter account for some photos!
Important: Please note that Akitas don’t generally like to be touched by strangers. So, although they look super cute, fluffy, and hard to resist, please refrain from touching them as this may agitate them. It is also normal for them not to be interested in you as most Akitas would. So don’t be upset or offended! As they are a very loyal breed, the only person they care about is their owner.
The building is actually where the Headquarters of the Akita Dogs Preservation Society is located as well. On the third floor, where the museum is, you will find various artifacts and items related to the Akitas. Photos of successive winners of the Akita Dog Contest are also on display (‘ω’)ノ.
There is also a shop selling Akita’s soft toys and plushies, making a perfect souvenir for your dog-lover friends (^_-)-☆.
Akita Dog Museum’s Opening Hours, Admission Fee, and Access Information
- The museum is open from 9 am to 4 pm daily except the afternoon of the 13th of August and from the 30th of December to the 5th of January.
- The entrance fee is
- 200 yen for adults
- 100 yen for elementary school students
- The museum is around a 15-minute walk away from JR Higashi-Ōdate Station (東大館駅), where you can easily catch a train from JR Akita Station to get to.
- You can also catch any Shuhoku Bus’s (秋北バス) bus services that stop at Ōdate City Hall (大館市役所前) from JR Ōdate Station (roughly around 10 mins). The museum is less than a 5-minute walk away.
Exploring Other Parts of Ōdate City
Of course, Ōdate City isn’t just about Hachikō and Akitas! The city also has a couple of natural attractions and a hot spring spot that you might be interested in visiting.
So, refer to our article on Ōdate City and find out where to go and what to do in Hachikō’s Hometown (^_-)-☆.
