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In a quiet village in Japan, there lived a loyal dog named Hachiko. Every day, Hachiko would accompany his owner, Professor Ueno, to the Shibuya train station and wait for him to return from...
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The story of 'Hachi', most widely known as Hachiko, is legendary in Japan. Learn about the bond shared between an ailing puppy and its new owner that ended s...
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- Japanese History Trip
Join us on a journey through the heartwarming and inspiring true story of Hachiko, a loyal dog who captured the hearts of the Japanese people and became a sy...
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- Ishmail Media
Mar 1, 2024 · Hachikō was born at a farm in Akita Prefecture on November 10, 1923. A year later, he was adopted by Ueno, who brought him to Tokyo. Ueno was a professor at Tokyo Imperial University (modern-day University of Tokyo), so he would use Shibuya station to commute to work.
- He Has Some Deep Country Roots
- He Was Bullied
- His Story Went Viral in 1932
- He Attended The Unveiling of His Own Statue
- During World War II, His Statue Was Melted For Train Parts
- Hachiko and Ueno Were Reunited More Than 90 Years Later
- You Can Still Pay Your Respects
- You Can View His Organs and His Stuffed body. Yes, Really!
- He Has A Mate in Statueland
- Hollywood Made Him American, But There's A Better Film
In contrast to him being a symbol of Tokyo's most fashionable 'hood, Hachiko was not originally from Shibuya, or even Tokyo for that matter. He was born in Odate City in Akita Prefecture on November 10 1923 to father Oshinai (named after the area they lived in) and mother Goma (which means 'sesame'). The newborn pup was sold for ¥30 (a sizeable sum...
After Ueno's death in 1925, Hachi was given away and forced to hop between several homes miles away from Shibuya, but he kept running back to the now-famous spot where he used to meet his owner every day. Eventually, he settled at the home of Kikuzaburo Kobayashi, Ueno's former gardener. Kobayashi’s house was in Tomigaya (close to Ueno's previous h...
When Hirokichi Saito, the chairman of the Nihon Ken Hozonkai (The Association for the Preservation of the Japanese Dog) found out about Hachi and his story, Saito published an article in Asahi Shimbunnewspaper about how the poor pup was being mistreated. The story naturally tugged at readers' heartstrings and Hachi quickly became a public icon. The...
It's unusual for an honorific statue to be built while the person – or in this case, dog – in question is still alive, but Hachiko actually made an appearance at the opening of his statue in 1934. Rumour has it that before the unveiling many scammers tried to make money by claiming they were the ones creating the statue. The real sculptor, Teru And...
Not even Hachiko's statue managed to get an exemption for its metal during the Pacific War. To add insult to injury, the original statue was melted just one day before the war ended. Some say that the metal was used to produce parts for a locomotive for what is now the Tokaido line. After the war, Ando’s son Takeshi built a new statue, which is the...
Eighty years after the canine’s death, The University of Tokyo initiated a project to build a memorial statue to reunite Hachiko and his owner. More than ¥10 million in donations was raised from individuals and companies in order to realise the fictional reunion. You can find it on The University of Tokyo’s campus, just next to Ueno Park.
At Aoyama Cemetery, a monument was placed beside Ueno’s tomb shortly after Hachiko died in 1935. The cemetery is actually more like a park and covers an extensive area near Gaienmae and Aoyama Itchome stations. Other reasons to visit include the magnificent cherry blossom viewing during spring, the architecture of the tombstones, and the history – ...
The initial autopsy report stated that Hachiko’s internal organs were infested with parasitical disease. He apparently also had a few yakitori (chicken) skewers in his stomach. His organs were stored in specimen bottles and a re-examination in 2010 concluded that Hachiko actually died of cancer. In case you’re keen to do a little visual examination...
While at Ueno Park, you might also want to visit the statue of samurai Saigo Takamori and his pup Tsun. Thanks to their status, Hachiko and Tsun have been paired off as symbolic protectors of Tokyo and Japanese economy. Kind of like the pairs of komainu('lion-dogs') placed as guardians at the entrance to shrines. If you want to get all romantic abo...
In 2009, the film Hachi: A Dog’s Tale starring Richard Gere brought the story to the masses around the world. Although it's suitably heartrending, the film was set in the US which detracts from its cultural significance. You're better off watching the original 1987 film, Hachiko Monogatari, to get a more authentic feel for Hachiko's life and times.
- Joyce Lam
Hachiko was born in November 1923 in the city of Odate in Akita prefecture, the original home of Akitas. A large-sized Japanese dog, the Akita is one of the country's oldest and most popular...
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Dec 19, 2021 · Hachikō’s story finally came to an end on March 8, 1935, when he was found dead in the streets of Shibuya at the age of 11. Scientists, who weren’t able to determine his cause of death until 2011, found that the dog Hachikō likely died of a filaria infection and cancer.
