For travellers, one of the best things to have been invented in the last decade or so is the Google Street View feature in Google Maps and Google Earth. It lets you explore different towns and cities around the world, even without being actually there.
Recently, Google Japan introduced a different version of Google Street View — one that enables you to see things through the perspective of an Akita dog.
Some Basic Information On Google Street View in Japan
Google Street View fully covers Japan. It is available in the major tourist destinations like Tokyo, Kyoto, and Osaka; in Sapporo, Asahikawa, Hakodate, and other cities on Hokkaido island; in the southern cities of Nagasaki, Fukuoka, Yakushima, Kumamoto, Kagoshima, and the rest of Kyushu; in Sendai, Morioka, and Fukushima in Tohoku; as well as in the less popular, smaller towns in the rural areas.
If you are planning a trip to the country soon, it is encouraged that you spend a little bit of your time checking out the places that you want to visit using this technology before you fly out. That way, you can get familiar with the scenery and surroundings, such as your hotel’s neighbourhood or your must-try restaurants and cafes. You also get to hype yourself up for this big, exciting adventure.
A Peek at Google Japan’s Unique Google Street View Idea — The Dog View
Do you ever wonder what it would be like to view your surroundings through the eyes of a dog? Google Japan gives you the opportunity to experience just that, with this new and adorable Dog View option. With it, you get to see the sites and attractions around a particular place in the point of view of a dog.
By mounting small cameras on the back of three Akita dogs named Ako, Akita, and Puko, Google Japan was able to map out Odate, a city in the mountainous regions of Akita Prefecture, about five and a half hours away from Tokyo by trains.
The fluffy dogs dropped by the various tourist attractions in the city, which includes the Akita Dog Museum, an Otaki Onsen Tsuru footbath, an old dog shrine, and a statue of one of Japan’s most popular, beloved, and faithful dog, Hachiko.
This behind-the-scenes video, taken during the winter, shows the process behind the filming and capturing of 360-degree views of the beautiful city through the perspective of dogs. Look at how cute and delightful these dogs are. They seemed to be having a blast in the snow!
Also, click here to go to the complete list of Dog View shots taken in Odate. Notice how the Akita dogs’ ears and tails pop up in the screen every pivot! The initiative to implement this in Akita first is just perfect, as the prefecture is the birthplace of this particular independent and lovable breed.
Google Japan plans to do more Dog View projects in other more popular tourist destinations through the different seasons in the future.
The Story of Hachiko, The Most Famous Akita Dog
For those who did not know, Hachiko was an Akita dog who was born on a farm on the outskirts of Odate in 1923, and lived in Tokyo from 1924 to 1935, after being adopted by Hidesaburo Ueno, a professor at the University of Tokyo.
Every afternoon, Hachiko would wait for Ueno outside Shibuya Station to come home from work. One day in 1925, Ueno died suddenly due to cerebral hemorrhage while doing a lecture, and never returned to Shibuya Station. Despite that, Hachiko continued to wait for him at the same spot every afternoon for the next nine years and nine months.
In 1935, because of a filaria infection and terminal cancer, Hachiko died at the age of 11.
This heartwarming story of the strong bond between a man and his dog is well-known not only in Japan but also around the globe, and has inspired several books and movies.
Getting To Odate
If Google Street View’s Dog View made you want to go to Odate on your next trip to Japan, or you are just a huge dog lover who wants to visit more dog-related spots and attractions in this part of the world, here are the different transportation options available to get there:
If you are coming from Tokyo: Take the Tohoku Shinkansen Line from Tokyo Station to Shin-Aomori Station, and then transfer to a limited express train to Odate Station. A one-way travel takes about 4 hours and 20 minutes, and costs around 19,000 yen. If you have a Japan Rail Pass, the journey is completely covered.
If you are departing from Osaka or Kyoto: Take the Tokaido Shinkansen Line from Shin-Osaka Station or Kyoto Station to Tokyo Station, and then transfer to the Tohoku Shinkansen Line to Shin-Aomori Station. At Shin-Aomori Station, get on the limited express train headed for Odate Station. A one-way trip is about 6 to 7 hours, and costs 28,000 yen, or free for Japan Rail Pass holders.
If starting your journey in Akita: Take the JR Ou Line from Akita Station to Odate Station. A one-way trip takes under 2 hours, and costs about 2,000 yen, or free if you have a Japan Rail Pass.
An Overview of the History of Google Street View
First launched in the United States in 2007, Google Street View collects images of streets, roads, and neighbourhoods in various places on the planet and stitches them together to create panoramas. It typically uses cars equipped with special types of cameras, global positioning systems, laser range scanners, and other data capturing tools to take quality photographs and accurate positioning. It also utilizes boats, snowmobiles, tricycles, and underwater devices in some cases.
Since its inception, Google Street View’s coverage has become global, with full or partial coverage in much of Europe, Asia, Americas, Australia, and even Antarctica. It, however, has limited or no coverage at all in some parts of the Africa, Middle East, Central America, and the Caribbean due to privacy concerns and other factors.
