Hachiko, national symbol of loyalty

Hachiko was a golden brown Akita dog, born and raised in Japan by Hidesaburō Ueno. He became the national symbol of loyalty in Japan after continued to wait for 9 years after his owner’s death at the Shibuya Train Station, where they usually would meet everyday after work.

Waiting for the return of his owner

Hidesaburō Ueno, a professor in the agriculture department at the University of Tokyo took Hachiko as a pet in 1924. They became very close, as the dog would follow him everyday to the train station where he would go to work. Hachiko was returning home and later in the day he would’ve came back to greet his owner after hours. The two of them continued this daily routine until May 1925, when the professor had suffered a cerebral hemorrhage and died that day. The dog waited him at the Shibuya Train Station for another 9 years, looking for his master that never came back.

Today

The story of Hachiko inspired people all over the world and gain a lot of media. A statue of himself was lifted in the Shibuya Train Station in 1934 to remember his loyalty. After his death, Hachiko’s remains were cremated and his ashes were buried beside his beloved owner at the Aoyama Cemetery. His fur was preserved and can be seen at the National Science Museum of Japan in Ueno.

The movie

The first movie about Hachiko was made in Japan in 1987 – “Hatchiko Monogatari”. In 2009 Hollywood released “Hachi: A Dog’s Tale”, featuring Richard Gere and directed by Lasse Hallström. The film is an adaptation of Hachiko’s relationship with the professor and his family. We believe this is a must see movie and don’t forget your napkins, cause you will cry a lot. I did.

Futurama

The legend of Hachiko was also featured in Futurama.

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