2204) Did You Know Series (61): The tale of the Japanese Akita dog "Hachikō" whose loyalty to his master continued much after his master Hidesaburo Ueno had passed away, inspiring a nation:

2204) Did You Know Series (61): The tale of the Japanese Akita dog "Hachikō" whose loyalty to his master continued much after his master Hidesaburo Ueno had passed away, inspiring a nation:

We saw this endearing movie titled "Hachi" starring Richard Gere and a Japenese Akita dog "Hachi" (who represented "Hachiko" a real life story of a dog's loyalty to his owner.

We had grown up on the tale of Greyfriar's Bobby in Edinburgh, United Kingdom, but the  tale of "Hachiko" inspired a nation.

I researched the story and found that "Hachi" was indeed "Hachikō"  (10.11.1923 – 08.03.1935) who was a Japanese Akita dog remembered for his remarkable loyalty to his owner, "Hidesaburō Ueno", for whom he continued to wait for over nine years following Ueno's death.

Hachikō was born on  10.11.1923, at a farm near the city of Ōdate, Akita Prefecture.

 In 1924, Hidesaburō Ueno, a professor at the Tokyo Imperial University, brought him to live in Shibuya, Tokyo, as his pet. 

Hachikō would meet Ueno at Shibuya Railway Station every day after his commute home. 

This continued until 21.05.1925, when Ueno suffered a cerebral hemorrhage while at work, while he was giving a lecture to his class, and died without ever returning to the train station in which Hachikō waited.

From then until his death on 08.03.1935, Hachikō would return to Shibuya Station every day to await Ueno's return.

Each day, for the next nine years, nine months and fifteen days, Hachikō awaited Ueno's return, appearing precisely when the train was due at the station.

One of Ueno's students, Hirokichi Saito, who developed expertise on the Akita breed, saw the dog at the station and followed him to the home of Ueno's former gardener, Kozaburo Kobayashi, where he learned the history of Hachikō's life. 

Shortly after the meeting, the former student published a documented census of Akitas in Japan. His research found only 30 pure-bred Akitas remaining, including Hachikō from Shibuya Station.

He returned frequently to visit Hachikō, and over the years he published several articles about the dog's remarkable loyalty. 

In 1932, one of his articles, published in Asahi Shimbun, placed the dog in the national spotlight.

Hachikō attracted the attention of other commuters. Many of the people who frequented the Shibuya train station had seen Hachikō and Professor Ueno together each day. Initial reactions from the people, especially from those working at the station, were not necessarily friendly. 

However, after the first appearance of the article about him in "Asahi Shimbun" on October 4, 1932, people started to bring Hachikō treats and food to nourish him during his wait.

During his lifetime, the dog was recognised in Japanese culture as an example of loyalty and fidelity. 

Well after his death, he continues to be remembered in worldwide popular culture, with statues, movies, books, and appearances in various media. Hachikō is known in Japanese as "chūken Hachikō" ("faithful dog Hachikō"), hachi meaning "eight" and -kō which originates as a suffix once used for ancient Chinese dukes; thus, Hachikō could be roughly translated as either "Mr. Eight" or "Sir Eight".

Hachikō became a national sensation. His faithfulness to his master's memory impressed the people of Japan as a spirit of family loyalty to which all should strive to achieve. Teachers and parents used Hachikō's vigil as an example for children to follow. 

Eventually, Hachikō's faithfulness became a national symbol of loyalty, particularly to the person and institution of Emperors.

Hachikō died on 08.03.1935 at the age of 11. He was found on a street in Shibuya.

Death & Legacy:

 In March 2011, scientists finally settled the cause of death of Hachikō: the dog had both terminal cancer and a filaria infection. There were also four yakitori skewers in Hachikō's stomach, but the skewers did not damage his stomach nor cause his death.

After his death, Hachikō's remains were cremated and his ashes were buried in Aoyama Cemetery, Minato, Tokyo where they rest beside those of Hachikō's beloved master, Professor Ueno.

 Hachikō's fur, which was preserved after his death, was stuffed and his taxidermy mount is currently on permanent display at the National Science Museum of Japan in Ueno, Tokyo.

In April 1934, a bronze statue based in his likeness sculpted by Teru Ando was erected at Shibuya Station. The statue was recycled for the war effort during World War II.

 In 1948, Takeshi Ando (son of the original artist) made a second statue. 

                                       The statue of Hachiko

                               Hachiko greets his master

The new statue, which was erected in August 1948, still stands and is a popular meeting spot. The station entrance near this statue is named "Hachikō-guchi", meaning "The Hachikō Entrance/Exit", and is one of Shibuya Station's five exits.

A similar statue stands in Hachikō's hometown, in front of Ōdate Station, it was built in 1932.

 In 2004, a new statue of Hachikō was erected in front of the Akita Dog Museum in Ōdate.

After the release of the American movie Hachi: A Dog's Tale (2009), which was filmed in Woonsocket, Rhode Island, the Japanese Consulate in the United States helped the Blackstone Valley Tourism Council and the city of Woonsocket to unveil an identical statue of Hachikō at the Woonsocket Depot Square, which was the location of the "Bedridge" train station featured in the movie.

On 09.03.2015, the Faculty of Agriculture of the University of Tokyo unveiled a bronze statue depicting Ueno returning to meet Hachikō at the University of Tokyo, Japan to commemorate the 80th anniversary of Hachikō's death. The statue was sculpted by Tsutomu Ueda from Nagoya and depicts a very excited Hachikō jumping up to greet his master at the end of a workday. 

Ueno is dressed in a hat, suit, and trench coat, with his briefcase placed on the ground. Hachikō wears a studded harness as seen in his last photos.

Each year on March 8, Hachikō's devotion is honoured with a solemn ceremony of remembrance at Shibuya Station. Hundreds of dog lovers often turn out to honour his memory and loyalty.

In 1994, Nippon Cultural Broadcasting in Japan was able to lift a recording of Hachikō barking from an old record that had been broken into several pieces. A huge advertising campaign ensued and on Saturday, 28.05.1994, 59 years after his death, millions of radio listeners tuned in to hear Hachikō's bark.

In 2003, in Shibuya ward, a minibus (officially called "community bus") started routes in the ward, nicknamed "Hachiko-bus". 

In July 2012, rare photos from Hachikō's life were shown at the Shibuya Folk and Literary Shirane Memorial Museum in Shibuya ward as part of the "Shin Shuzo Shiryoten" ("Exhibition of newly stored materials").

In Popular Culture:

Hachikō plays an important part in the 1967 children's book Taka-chan and I: A Dog's Journey to Japan.

Hachikō was the subject of the 1987 film Hachiko Monogatari (literally "The Tale of Hachikō") directed by Seijirō Kōyama, which told the story of his life from his birth up until his death and imagined spiritual reunion with his master. 

Considered a blockbuster success, the film was the last big hit for Japanese film studio Shochiku Kinema Kenkyû-jo.

"Jurassic Bark" (2002), episode 7 of season 4 of the animated series Futurama has an extended homage to Hachikō,  with Fry discovering the fossilized remains of his dog, Seymour. After Fry was frozen, Seymour is shown to have waited for Fry to return for 12 years outside Panucci's Pizza, where Fry worked, never disobeying his master's last command to wait for him.

Hachikō is also the subject of a 2004 children's book titled Hachikō: "The True Story of a Loyal Dog".

 In 2004, another children's book, a short novel for readers of all ages called "Hachiko Waits", was published in 2004.

In the Japanese manga One Piece, there is a similar story with a dog named Shushu.

In the video game "The World Ends with You" (2007), the Hachikō statue is featured, its legend referenced on several occasions. The location of the statue plays an important role in the narrative of the game.

In the commentary in the Disney/Pixar movie WALL-E (2008), one of the animators mentions that the cockroach waiting in place for the robot to return to earth was a homage to Hachikō.

Hachikō is featured prominently in the 2008 novel "The Story of Edgar Sawtelle".