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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...
- 4 min
- 892
- Japanese History Trip
- 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
Nov 15, 2023 · Hachikō the Dog Who Waited 10 Years for His Owner To Return Would Be 100 Years Old Today. One hundred years ago, on November 10, 1923, a special Akita Inu pup was born. He was adopted by Hidesaburo Ueno, an agricultural professor at Tokyo Imperial University (modern-day University of Tokyo), and called Hachikō.
Mar 1, 2024 · The Last Picture Ever Taken of Hachikō Shows the Love and Reverence the Japanese Had for the Dog. Over the 100 years that have passed since his birth, Hachikō has become a symbol of loyalty. The Akita Inu dog rose to prominence after people realized that he dutifully waited for his owner, Dr. Hidesaburō Ueno, at Shibuya station in Tokyo for ...
Apr 12, 2023 · Story of Hachiko, the faithful dog. Hachiko ハチ公 has two meanings in Japanese: it refers both to the eighth puppy in the litter (hachi = eight, ko = suffix used for children), but can also mean " eighth prince ". This Akita Inu dog was adopted in 1924 by Hidesaburo Ueno, a professor at the University of Tokyo who was teaching in the ...
May 20, 2019 · The inception of Hachi. Hachi was born to the Saito family on November 10, 1923, in Niita Village, Akita-gun, Akita Prefecture (currently, Odate City). Just at that time, Professor Ueno of the Agricultural Department of Tokyo Imperial University had wanted an Akita-ken breed of dog, and Hachi was delivered all the way from Akita to Tokyo.
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Nov 9, 2023 · Nov 09, 2023, 11:26 AM. TOKYO – In the hurly-burly outside one of Tokyo’s main train stations stands a statue of a dog whose true story of loyalty has made him a beloved mascot for generations ...
