June 30 / The Story of Chūken Hachikō, Akita Dog
Hachikō (ハチ公, November 10,1923 - March 8,1935) was an Akita-dog born on a farm near the city of Ōdate, Akita-ken, Japan. He is remembered for his remarkable loyalty to his owner, which continued for more than nine years after his owner's death. Hachikō is known in Japanese as Chū ken Hachikō (忠*ハチ公) "faithful dog Hachikō", hachi meaning "eight" and kō meaning "affection." During his lifetime, the dog was held up 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.
In 1924, Hidesaburō Ueno, a professor in the agriculture department at the University of Tokyo, took Hachikō, a golden brown male Akita-inu, as his f a m i l y member.
(Hachi and Prof. Ueno)
Mr. Ueno would commute daily to work, and Hachikō would leave the house to greet him at the end of each day at the nearby Shibuya Station.
(Shibuya station looked like this at that time)
The pair continued the daily routine until May 1925, when Prof. Ueno did not return. The professor had suffered a cerebral hemorrhage, while he was giving a lecture, and died without ever returning to the train station where Hachikō would wait.
Each day, for the next nine years, nine months and fifteen days, Hachikō awaited his master's return, appearing precisely when the train was due at the station. Hachikō attracted the attention of other commuters. Many of the people who frequented the Shibuya train station had seen Hachikō and Professor Ueno together every day. After the first appearance of the article about him on October 4, 1932 in Asahi Shimbun (newspaper), people started to bring Hachikō treats and food to nourish him during his wait.
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 Kobayashi home, the home of F a m i l y Ueno's former gardener, Kuzaboro Kobayashi, where he learned the history of Hachikō's life.
Shortly after the meeting, the former student published a documented census of Akita dogs in Japan. His research found only 30 purebred Akitas remaining, including Hachikō. He returned frequently to visit Hachikō, and over the years he published several articles about the ***** remarkable loyalty.
In 1932, one of his articles, published in Asahi Shimbun, placed the dog in the national spotlight. Hachikō became a national sensation. His faithfulness to his master's memory impressed the people of Japan as a spirit of f a m i l y loyalty to which all should strive to achieve. Teachers and parents used Hachikō's vigil as an example for c h i l d r e n to follow. A well-known Japanese artist rendered a sculpture of Hachi, and throughout the country, a new awareness of the Akita breed grew.
Hachikō died on March 8, 1935 at the age of 11 based on his date of birth. He was found on a street in Shibuya. 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 or cause his death.
(Last known photo of Hachikō - with his owners wife Yaeko Ueno-front row second from right-and station staff in mourning on March 8 1935)
After his death, Hachikō's remains were cremated and his ashes were buried in Aoyama Cemetery, Minato-ku, 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 mounted and is now on permanent display at the National Science Museum of Japan in Tokyo.
In April 1934, a bronze statue in his likeness was erected at Shibuya Station, and Hachikō himself was present at its unveiling. The statue was recycled for the war effort during World War II.
(This picture was taken on March 08, 1936 at Shibuya station)
In 1948, the Society for Recreating the Hachikō Statue commissioned Takeshi Ando, son of the original artist, to make a second statue.
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.
(Hachikō's grave beside Professor Ueno's one in Aoyama Cemetery, Minato-ku, Tokyo)
In 1924, Hidesaburō Ueno, a professor in the agriculture department at the University of Tokyo, took Hachikō, a golden brown male Akita-inu, as his f a m i l y member.
(Hachi and Prof. Ueno)
Mr. Ueno would commute daily to work, and Hachikō would leave the house to greet him at the end of each day at the nearby Shibuya Station.
(Shibuya station looked like this at that time)
The pair continued the daily routine until May 1925, when Prof. Ueno did not return. The professor had suffered a cerebral hemorrhage, while he was giving a lecture, and died without ever returning to the train station where Hachikō would wait.
Each day, for the next nine years, nine months and fifteen days, Hachikō awaited his master's return, appearing precisely when the train was due at the station. Hachikō attracted the attention of other commuters. Many of the people who frequented the Shibuya train station had seen Hachikō and Professor Ueno together every day. After the first appearance of the article about him on October 4, 1932 in Asahi Shimbun (newspaper), people started to bring Hachikō treats and food to nourish him during his wait.
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 Kobayashi home, the home of F a m i l y Ueno's former gardener, Kuzaboro Kobayashi, where he learned the history of Hachikō's life.
Shortly after the meeting, the former student published a documented census of Akita dogs in Japan. His research found only 30 purebred Akitas remaining, including Hachikō. He returned frequently to visit Hachikō, and over the years he published several articles about the ***** remarkable loyalty.
In 1932, one of his articles, published in Asahi Shimbun, placed the dog in the national spotlight. Hachikō became a national sensation. His faithfulness to his master's memory impressed the people of Japan as a spirit of f a m i l y loyalty to which all should strive to achieve. Teachers and parents used Hachikō's vigil as an example for c h i l d r e n to follow. A well-known Japanese artist rendered a sculpture of Hachi, and throughout the country, a new awareness of the Akita breed grew.
Hachikō died on March 8, 1935 at the age of 11 based on his date of birth. He was found on a street in Shibuya. 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 or cause his death.
(Last known photo of Hachikō - with his owners wife Yaeko Ueno-front row second from right-and station staff in mourning on March 8 1935)
After his death, Hachikō's remains were cremated and his ashes were buried in Aoyama Cemetery, Minato-ku, 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 mounted and is now on permanent display at the National Science Museum of Japan in Tokyo.
In April 1934, a bronze statue in his likeness was erected at Shibuya Station, and Hachikō himself was present at its unveiling. The statue was recycled for the war effort during World War II.
(This picture was taken on March 08, 1936 at Shibuya station)
In 1948, the Society for Recreating the Hachikō Statue commissioned Takeshi Ando, son of the original artist, to make a second statue.
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.
(Hachikō's grave beside Professor Ueno's one in Aoyama Cemetery, Minato-ku, Tokyo)
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