Ken, the Famously Adorable Roast Sweet Potato Stand Cashier in Hokkaido, Passes Away

Ken, the Shiba Inu who looked over the roast sweet potato store in Sapporo, Hokkaido, passed away at 6 years old.

Heartbreaking news: Ken passed away on June 6 at around 12:50 p.m., according to his owner’s Instagram post, Mothership reported. The owner said Ken returned to his “favorite (sweet potato) shop” and thanked all those who supported the Shiba Inu.

Ken’s owner said the pooch was feeling a little sick on a May 31 post. The update also said Ken will do his “best” as he receives medical treatment.

However, Ken returned home on June 5 with an “oxygen house” and was not in good condition.

Other details: Ken started working at Inu no Yakiimoyasan at the age of 2, their website said.

His owner said he never intended to open a sweet potato stand, but the decision came to him one day while roasting sweet potatoes outside and the smell caught the attention of his neighbors.
He initially opened up the store for free but decided to go into business when the demand started to rise.
The owner opened the self-service stand where customers paid for what they wanted and took their purchase while Ken watched over them.
Since 2019, the owner donated parts of the proceeds from their sales to animal welfare organizations and raised over 80,000 yen ($730), according to Mainichi when it reported in February 2020.

Featured Image via @inunoyakiimo

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