Hachiko Symbolically Finds Its Owner Through A New Statue
To celebrate the 80th anniversary of the death of the famous Japanese dog Hachiko, the University of Tokyo erected a bronze statue on its campus in honor of his loyalty and loyalty. In the artwork it is possible to observe Hachiko together with its owner, Ueno.
Next, we’ll refresh our memory and share some data about the love relationship that had the Akita breed dog as one of the great protagonists.
A great loyalty story
In 1924, Hidesaburô Ueno, then a professor in the department of agriculture at the University of Tokyo, adopted Hachiko as a pet.
Every day this Akita breed dog accompanied its owner to the train station in Shibuya. However, one day in May 1925, there was a change, as Ueno never returned.
Ueno suffered a cerebral hemorrhage and died. That’s why he never went back to Shibuya train station, where Hachiko was always waiting for him. But the story doesn’t end there.
From that day and for the next nine years, the dog kept watch at the station, hoping that, at some point, the owner would return. Finally, as Hachiko’s dream could not be fulfilled, in April 1935 the dog died of cancer.
However, the end of the story was not so sad. Now, thanks to the initiative of the University of Tokyo, dog and owner were able to come together forever through, as we mentioned, a statue that remembers this fabulous relationship.
Undoubtedly, due to his devotion to his owner, Hachiko has become a legendary figure in Japan and his story has crossed borders, becoming a true testimony of how dogs can become immensely loyal to their owners.
curious facts
Hachiko’s story has inspired thousands of people who are animal lovers. Below we will list some curious facts about this story that has penetrated deeply into popular culture, not just in Japan, but all over the world. Let’s meet them.
Did you know that even though Hachiko is without doubt the most famous character in this story, his owner, Hidesaburô Ueno, also contributed to a large extent to Japanese society? Yes, it happened.
He has been a professor at the University of Tokyo for over 20 years and is considered an outstanding scholar in the field of agricultural engineering.
In Japan there are several monuments that make reference to this amazing dog. A statue of Hachiko stands in front of Odate station. Also, in 2004, a new statue was erected in front of the Akita Dog Museum.
Every year on April 8, hundreds of dog lovers gather at the Shibuya train station to pay tribute to Hachiko’s loyalty.
In 1987, the first film that made reference to this moving story was shot. The Japanese film called “The Story of Hachiko” was a blockbuster.
The same happened in the United States. The film “Always by Your Side”, starring Richard Gere, was released in 2009.
Hachiko is also the title of a book for boys and girls published in 2004. “Hachiko: The True Story of a Faithful Dog” was written by Pamela S. Turner and illustrated by Yan Nascimbene.
Another children’s book that also mentions the famous animal is the novel “Hachiko Waits” (Hachiko Waits), written by Leslea Newmanand.
In 1994, a culture organ in Japan was able to retrieve a record of Hachiko’s barking, which had been recorded on an old disk.
In “The Jurassic Bark,” the seventh episode of the fourth season of the Futurama cartoon series, an extensive tribute to Hachiko is paid.
In the cartoon “Scooby-Doo and the Samurai’s Sword” a reference to Hachiko is also made. In the plot, Vilma explains the story to Scooby as he takes a picture next to the statue of the famous dog.
Hachiko’s history of loyalty, except for due proportions, could be related to the loyalty that Argos, Ulysses’ companion dog, also had.
Some recent theories undermine Hachiko’s idea of loyalty to his owner.
A hypothesis that caused controversy among his supporters stated that the famous dog returned to the station because there Ueno used to offer him some yakitori, a typical Japanese dish made with chicken.
And you, what do you think? Hachiko kept coming back out of loyalty or hoping to find a tasty treat?
