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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