TOKYO — A temporary enclosure featuring a printed photo backdrop of Shibuya Station from around 1955 has been installed behind the iconic statue of Hachiko the dog, who waited for the return of his deceased owner in front of the station in the early 20th century.
The black-and-white scene takes people back to the Showa era (1926-1989), and crowds of visitors can be seen taking photos on their smartphones. According to the Shibuya Station central area division’s infrastructure development section at the Shibuya Ward Office, the white enclosure was put up for garden construction, and the photo mural was added to prevent it from looking plain. The enclosure will remain until the end of June.
The area in front of JR Shibuya Station, facing the scramble crossing, is a popular spot for foreign tourists. Some were seen smiling and taking photos while calling out “Hachi” in front of the black-and-white image.
Gilang Windu, 25, visiting from Indonesia, told the Mainichi Shimbun that he thought it was a unique monument. He said he was glad to see it and that it made him very emotional as he has never heard of statues in his country built based on such a backstory.
(Japanese original by Kota Yoshida, Photo and Video Department)
AloJapan.com