eating abroad

This Japanese food stall is run by a dog

Drug-sniffing dogs, guide dogs, guard dogs; working dogs are nothing new. But have you ever seen a dog with its own food stall?

Foto van culinair journalist Steffi Posthumus

door Steffi Posthumus

Ken-kun is doing just that: running a food stall in Japan. This business boy became a hit on Twitter after someone posted a video of him online showing how he helps his customers at his own sweet potato stall.

On trust

The stall run by the 3-year-old Shiba Inu can be found in Sapporo, on the island of Hokkaido. Ken-kun actually has it pretty good: roasted sweet potatoes are ready in a box, customers choose one, leave 100 yen (about 80 cents), and that’s it. Or, um: Ken. You should think of him more as an adorable shop greeter.

Will he bite your fingers off if you don’t pay? No way! Ken-kun works on trust. And let’s be honest: karma will catch up with you later if you refuse to pay at such a cute shopkeeper’s store. One thing you do need to keep in mind: Ken-kun can’t give change, so pay the exact amount. Tips are always welcome, of course; Ken-kun’s owner uses them to buy dog treats. Which is only fair, right, after a whole day of working outside.

Sweet potato mania

But what exactly does this loyal four-legged vendor sell? Yaki imo: roasted sweet potato. The ultimate winter street food in Japan. Did you know that people in Japan love sweet potatoes in general? Sweet potato chips, sweet potato pastries, sweet potato candies, sweet potato bread, sweet potato KitKats (!!) and even sweet potato ice cream. But sweet potatoes like Ken-kun’s, of course, can’t be found anywhere else.