Meet Ken-kun, the smart and hard-working business boi who has taken Twitter by storm in Japan after he was filmed diligently serving one of his many customers at his very own sweet potato stall. Now, there are many dogs with jobs in the world; leading the blind, chasing down criminals and sniffing out drugs and explosive just to name a few. But it’s not often you’ll find one manning (dogging?) a food stall and greeting the customers.
Image credits: hina_shii_ver2
Image credits: tabelog.com
The 3-year-old Shiba Inu works in Sapporo City on the island of Hokkaido and has it pretty easy, really. Customers have to simply choose the roasted sweet potato that they would like from the white box, and leave 100yen ($1 USD) as payment. Think of Ken-kun as a kind of store greeter.
Image credits: hina_shii_ver2
When somebody approaches, Ken-kun pops up his sweet little face to say hello and make sure the transaction goes smoothly. That being said, it is a trust-based system, so he’s not gonna jump out and chase you if you don’t pay up.
Image credits: hobby_space_jun
The stall is covered in colorful and artistic signage, with one sign explaining: “Because I am a dog, I can’t give you change.” Tips are appreciated though, with all proceeds going toward extra treats for the canine customer care worker.
Image credits: hobby_space_jun
Image credits: tabelog.com
Image credits: tabelog.com
The roasted sweet potatoes are known as yaki imo, in Japan and are the ultimate winter street food. You will see these stalls popped up all over the place, much like we have roast chestnuts in Europe or the U.S. I think I’d prefer one of these to be honest!
Image credits: tabelog.com
The sweet potato is an extremely popular food in general and can be found served in a variety of ways, much like Bubba from Forest Gump with his shrimp. There are: sweet potato chips, sweet potato pastries, sweet potato cakes, sweet potato candies, sweet potato breads, sweet potato caramel corn, sweet potato KitKats…You could even try sweet potato ice cream!
Image credits: tabelog.com
Image credits: hiroki99837
Image credits: tabelog.com
Watch the video of Ken-kun in action below
Image credits: Youtube
Here’s what people had to say about the polite pupper
This was so wholesome. Potatoes and Shibas what more could you ask for?
they can't out a kitty in there it'll just sleep on job and chase the doggo.
Load More Replies...What a cute dog! This reminds me of my Japanese uncle (very kind old man) who spoke no English but one word: potato. He LOVED potatoes & used the word in reference to everything. Eating dinner? "Potato potato potato." Saw an extra-pretty pigeon in the park? "Potato potato potato." Made me laugh every time :D
The dog sounds lonely. I hope it's only in that box for a couple of pics and the video and not all damn day.
This is SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO ADORABLE!!!!!!!!!!!! It's just, well, THE POOR DOGGO!! Being locked up in that little wooden stool with no food, watter, toys... plus dogs need to have a large space to be active, and need to be taken out several times a day to relieve themselves. The Poor Doggo! ;-;
Only in Japan can you do stuff like this on a complete trust-based system! I swear, that country is so wholesome. (I'm not saying it's perfect, it does have it's flaws like everywhere else, but as an American Japan seems so much like a paradise!)
So this is basically a dog that was captured in a small place and who - based on the video - really wants to go out. Great job.
I hadnt even read the article get, i was just scrolling through my feed and automatically upvoted it lol
Load More Replies...My dog would eat all the potatoes, and run off to pick a fight with another dog. Oh, and he'd knock everything over with his tail XD
There's a village in England called Lacock, where a lot of the houses have honesty stalls outside them in the summer. There is one, selling homemade cakes, jams etc. that is manned, or "dogged" by a very nice dog shopkeeper. He looks at you sternly to make sure you put money in the box for the items you take.
Our street food is corn dogs. Their street food is sweet potatoes. Pay attention belly, this is important.
10 outta 10. Anyone have any yen I will trade you a couple £s... Also, anyone have a couple hundred £s I need to book a flight to Sapporo City and buy a potato and take a dog... *thinks of Thomas Sanders vines where he takes all the doggos...*
I would end up just hanging around talking to the dog all day.
This is so awful. I have a shiba, and she only cries like that when she's sad. This dog is not happy. It's locked in a little plywood box as a novelty. He has no comfort items inside, no blankets, no toys. Shiba's smile when they are happy, this dog is not happy at all. Poor thing.
I have a bit of a problem wanting to click the up button. The Shiba has no water, is thin, no blanket nothing to lay on and I suspect stuck in there for hours a day. Not trying to be a naysayer, but I have shibas an they need more then this shown.
Mmmmm, now I want one of those potatoes, I can't stand yams, but those are so good
what is so cute about a dog being locked up in a box all day by himself?
That dog is crying. It feels trapped, which it is. Not cute at all. Sorry.
I agree! Very sad. If the real "owner" was there also, it would not seem so bad. I do not like this dog labor!
Load More Replies...This was so wholesome. Potatoes and Shibas what more could you ask for?
they can't out a kitty in there it'll just sleep on job and chase the doggo.
Load More Replies...What a cute dog! This reminds me of my Japanese uncle (very kind old man) who spoke no English but one word: potato. He LOVED potatoes & used the word in reference to everything. Eating dinner? "Potato potato potato." Saw an extra-pretty pigeon in the park? "Potato potato potato." Made me laugh every time :D
The dog sounds lonely. I hope it's only in that box for a couple of pics and the video and not all damn day.
This is SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO ADORABLE!!!!!!!!!!!! It's just, well, THE POOR DOGGO!! Being locked up in that little wooden stool with no food, watter, toys... plus dogs need to have a large space to be active, and need to be taken out several times a day to relieve themselves. The Poor Doggo! ;-;
Only in Japan can you do stuff like this on a complete trust-based system! I swear, that country is so wholesome. (I'm not saying it's perfect, it does have it's flaws like everywhere else, but as an American Japan seems so much like a paradise!)
So this is basically a dog that was captured in a small place and who - based on the video - really wants to go out. Great job.
I hadnt even read the article get, i was just scrolling through my feed and automatically upvoted it lol
Load More Replies...My dog would eat all the potatoes, and run off to pick a fight with another dog. Oh, and he'd knock everything over with his tail XD
There's a village in England called Lacock, where a lot of the houses have honesty stalls outside them in the summer. There is one, selling homemade cakes, jams etc. that is manned, or "dogged" by a very nice dog shopkeeper. He looks at you sternly to make sure you put money in the box for the items you take.
Our street food is corn dogs. Their street food is sweet potatoes. Pay attention belly, this is important.
10 outta 10. Anyone have any yen I will trade you a couple £s... Also, anyone have a couple hundred £s I need to book a flight to Sapporo City and buy a potato and take a dog... *thinks of Thomas Sanders vines where he takes all the doggos...*
I would end up just hanging around talking to the dog all day.
This is so awful. I have a shiba, and she only cries like that when she's sad. This dog is not happy. It's locked in a little plywood box as a novelty. He has no comfort items inside, no blankets, no toys. Shiba's smile when they are happy, this dog is not happy at all. Poor thing.
I have a bit of a problem wanting to click the up button. The Shiba has no water, is thin, no blanket nothing to lay on and I suspect stuck in there for hours a day. Not trying to be a naysayer, but I have shibas an they need more then this shown.
Mmmmm, now I want one of those potatoes, I can't stand yams, but those are so good
what is so cute about a dog being locked up in a box all day by himself?
That dog is crying. It feels trapped, which it is. Not cute at all. Sorry.
I agree! Very sad. If the real "owner" was there also, it would not seem so bad. I do not like this dog labor!
Load More Replies...
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