Hideki Matsumoto, of the Japanese TV program ‘Pochi-Tama,’ and the show’s mascot, Dice-K, recreate a scene from ‘Hachiko’ at the Woonsocket Depot Wednesday.  Call Photo/Sandy McGee 

By SANDY McGEE

WOONSOCKET — The historic Woonsocket train depot received an international visit Wednesday from one of the most highly-rated TV shows in Japan.

“Pochi-Tama,” an animal documentary program that airs exclusively in Japan and online, filmed part of an upcoming episode at the Woonsocket Depot Wednesday morning.
The depot, which is owned by the state Department of Transportation (DOT), was a point of interest for the Japanese film crew thanks to its connections to the movie  “Hachiko: A Dog’s Story.”
“I’m really excited that, as a follow-up to ‘Hachiko,’ this film crew decided to come to Woonsocket,” said Michael A. Hébert, supervising historic preservation specialist and archaeologist for the DOT.
Directed by Tatsuya Serizawa, “Pochi-Tama” introduces pets and animals from around the world, as well as animal and pet care programs. The show also interviews professionals, owners of pets and celebrities.
A 3-year-old Labrador, named Dice-K or Daisuke in Japanese, serves as the show’s mascot. The program also stars reporter Hideki Matsumoto.
“This show is one of the most highly-rated family shows in Japan,” Hébert said. “I’m excited that a film crew came all the way from Japan to Woonsocket. “
The TV crew decided to visit the train depot since it was one of many sites where “Hachiko” was shot.
The “Pochi-Tama” cast and crew toured and filmed the historic site, interviewed Hébert and recreated a scene from “Hachiko.”
In his interview with the expressive Matsumoto, Hébert talked about the Stadium Theatre, the movie’s production and the history of the train depot.
“When it was built in 1882, it was considered one of the most up-to-date, modern train stations in all of New England,” he said. “The train tracks outside are still used for freight trains, but not commuter.”
The Woonsocket Depot was purchased by DOT in 1992 for nearly $500,000. The state agency spent about $3 million on renovations over the next several years, according to Hébert.
The Victorian-style train station was built by the Providence and Worcester Railroad Company. The building is listed in the National Register of Historic Places; it currently serves as a visitor center and headquarters for the John H. Chafee Blackstone River Valley National Heritage Corridor Commission.
Matsumoto was pleased with what he saw.  “I feel the history here,” he said through a translator. “The fact that the historical building is preserved is a very good thing. It (Woonsocket) is a nice, quiet town. It’s very cold here today.”
Despite the chilly temperatures, the TV crew was all smiles and laughs as they walked the same steps Hachiko took in the movie.
“Hachiko: A Dog’s Story,” starring Richard Gere and Joan Allen, was shot at various locations throughout Rhode Island, including Woonsocket, earlier this year.
City residents lined the streets in February to watch filming at the depot, New York Lunch, Gigi’s Global Specialty Art & Gifts and other spots along Main Street.
During Wednesday’s TV shoot, Dice-K took on the role of Hachiko. The show’s reporter, Matsumoto, put on a white wig to recreate the role of the professor, played by Richard Gere in the movie.
The film tells the popular Japanese story of a loyal Akita who for years returned each day to a train station awaiting the return of his master, who was long since dead and gone.
According to the folks from “Pochi-Tama,” the story has become something of a national legend. “Hachiko is very popular in Japan,” said the show’s production manager, Mika Yamamoto.
The six-member TV crew also walked to the nearby bus stop on Main Street, where they encountered and interviewed some bewildered local residents. “I wasn’t sure what was going on at first,” said Woonsocket resident Joye Coles. “He (Dice-K) was pretty good. He didn’t move at all.”
When asked about being filmed for a Japanese TV program, Coles said, “It’s pretty interesting.”
The TV show’s name, “Pochi-Tama,” is derived from a popular Japanese name for dogs, “Pochi,” and for cats, “Tama.” Pochi-Tama airs weekly on Fridays from 7 to 8 p.m. on TV Tokyo. The program filmed at the Woonsocket Depot will be broadcast during an hour-long special in late fall.
For more information about Pochi-Tama, visit www.tv-tokyo.co.jp/pochitama.