Kabosu, the Beloved Shiba Inu: A Legacy Beyond the Meme
Kabosu, a Japanese Shiba Inu, became the face of the iconic “Doge” meme. The meme features her quizzical expression, often accompanied by colorful captions in the comic sans font, expressing faux amazement. Phrases like “wow,” “amaze,” and broken English such as “so frost, much cold” were intended to be seen as the dog’s internal monologue. The image went viral around 2013 on platforms like Tumblr and various online chatrooms, and it quickly became one of the most recognized images of the social web era.
Kabosu’s owner, Atsuko Sato, confirmed the news of her passing in a poignant poem on her blog. She described Kabosu as the happiest dog in the world and herself as the happiest owner. The Shiba Inu’s face has been featured in countless social media posts and even became the face of a cryptocurrency. In 2021, an NFT (non-fungible token) of the iconic image was sold for a whopping $4 million! Dogecoin, the cryptocurrency inspired by the meme, also paid tribute to Kabosu, calling her a “being who knew only happiness and limitless love”.
Sakura, the city in Japan where Kabosu lived, is incredibly proud of its famous canine mascot. The doge image has been used on manhole covers, and a bronze statue of Kabosu was unveiled earlier this year, funded by donations from fans worldwide. It’s heartwarming to know that Kabosu’s legacy lives on, bringing joy to people across the internet and beyond 1.