KYODO NEWS - Feb 10, 2020 - 09:55 | All, Japan

An old train car that has been serving as a tourist information center outside Tokyo's busy Shibuya station is to be relocated to the northeastern Japan birthplace of Hachiko, the famously loyal dog immortalized in a nearby statue.

The train car, a Tokyu Railways carriage of a type in service from the 1950s to 1980s, has been part of Hachiko Square in front of the station since 2006, just opposite the statue of Hachiko.

The dog won a place in the nation's heart in the 1920s for having shown up at the station to await its deceased master's return from work every day for nine years.

Its statue in the major entertainment district has become one of the most popular meeting places in the Japanese capital.

As the dog was originally from Odate in Akita Prefecture, the northeastern city and Shibuya have had maintained friendly ties. The two municipalities recently agreed to relocate the train car to Odate as the square prepares to undergo renovation as part of a major facelift Shibuya is undergoing, including the erection of a number of skyscrapers around the station.

The carriage, nicknamed "green frog" due to its color, is expected to be removed in early June. In Odate, it will be used as a resting space for visitors from July in a sightseeing facility promoting the internationally popular Akita breed of dog.

Hachiko inspired the 2009 film "Hachi: A Dog's Tale," starring Richard Gere and released around the world.