Hachiko was a dog known for his infinite fidelity and love for his owner. Her master was a university professor and the dog would wait for him until he came back at the station every day, even after his death
This display of affection and loy alty has made Hachiko's story world-famous, and movies have even been made telling her story
This is the perfect example of the love that a dog can feel for its owner and that will make even the toughest tear drop. If you still don't know the story of Hachiko, the faithful dog grab a pack of tissues and continue reading this article on our site.
Life with the teacher
Hachiko was an Akita Inu who was born in 1923 in Akita Prefecture. A year later she became a gift to the daughter of a professor of agricultural engineering at the University of Tokyo. When the teacher, Eisaburo Ueno, saw him for the first time, he noticed that his legs were slightly crooked, resembling the kanji that represents the number 8 (八, which is pronounced hachi in Japanese), so he decided to name him Hachiko..
When Ueno's daughter grew up, she got married and went to live with her husband leaving the dog behind. The teacher had taken a liking to it, so she decided to keep it instead of giving it away.
Ueno went to work by train every day and Hachiko became his faithful companion. Every morning he accompanied him to Shibuya station and would meet him again when he came back.
The teacher's death
One day, while teaching at the university, Ueno suffered a cardiac arrest that ended his life, however, Hachiko kept waiting for him in Shibuya.
Day after day Hachiko went to the station and waited for hours for her owner, looking for her face among the thousands of strangers who passed by. The days turned into months and the months into years. Hachiko waited tirelessly for her owner for nine long yearsrain, snow or shine
The inhabitants of Shibuya knew Hachiko and were in charge of feeding and caring for him during all that time while the dog waited at the station gate. That fidelity to his mistress earned him the nickname "the faithful dog"
So much affection and admiration caused Hachiko's loy alty, that in 1934 they erected a statue in his honor in front of the station, just where the dog waited for his owner daily.
Death of Hachiko
On March 9, 1935 Hachiko was found dead at the foot of the statue. He died due to his age in the same place where he had awaited the return of his owner for nine years. The faithful dog's remains were buried next to those of his ownerat Aoyama Cemetery in Tokyo
During World War II all the bronze statues were melted down to make weapons, including Hachiko's. However, a few years later, a company was created to get a new statue made and relocate it in the same place. Takeshi Ando, the son of the original sculptor, was eventually hired to remake the statue.
Today the statue of Hakicho is still in the same place, in front of Shibuya station and on 8 April of each year his faithfulness is commemorated.
After all these years the story of Hachiko, the faithful dog is still alive due to the demonstration of love, loy alty and unconditional affection that touched the hearts of a population and continues to do so today.
