SoftBank has announced that their beloved long-time spokesdog, Kai-kun, had passed away due to complications of old age. He was 16 and, according to the June 28 announcement. Although often confused for a Shiba or Akita dog, Kai-kun was actually a Hokkaido dog, also known as an
SoftBank has announced that their beloved long-time spokesdog, Kai-kun, had passed away due to complications of old age. He was 16 and, according to the June 28 announcement.
Although often confused for a Shiba or Akita dog, Kai-kun was actually a Hokkaido dog, also known as an Ainu Dog, a breed named after the northernmost prefecture and its native people respectively. And it was in the small coastal town of Mukawa, Hokkaido that Kai-kun was born in a litter along with his sister Nene and brother Polo.
Kai-kun, whose name literally means “sea” in Japanese, spent his early years in comfort, enjoying his favorite foods of salmon, sausages and cucumbers. However, it didn’t take long for his bold personality and healthy coat to draw him towards the glitz and glamour of show business.
In 2004, he got his first break in the NHK drama “Tenka” playing a dog. Later in 2006, Kai-kun landed another role, this time as a dog who fathered eight superhuman warriors in the TBS version of the classic Japanese epic “Tale of Eight Dogs,” adapted for television.
