Photo: pio3/Depositphotos
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 almost a decade after his passing. While Hachikō was seen by many as a nuisance at the busy station, his fate changed after his story made the press. Thanks to that, the dog was admired and revered even in his final moments, as the poignant last picture ever taken of Hachikō depicts.
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. At the end of each day, Hachikō would leave the house to greet him at the station and walk home together.
Sadly, this came to an end on May 21, 1925, when Ueno did not return from work. The professor died unexpectedly from a cerebral hemorrhage at age 53 while he was giving a lecture to his class. Hachikō didn’t realize this, and continued to wait at Shibuya station for the next 9 years, 9 months, and 15 days.
Hachikō’s solo visits to the the station weren’t met with kindness at first, especially by children and the station staff. One day, Hirokichi Saito, a former student of Ueno, followed the dog home and after learning his story from the professor’s gardener, wrote many articles about Hachikō’s loyalty. When one of his pieces was published on The Asahi Shimbun, one of the five largest newspapers in Japan, in 1932, the dog became a sensation, and people began sending donations to feed him and make a statue of his likeness, while many visited the station to see him in person.
This continued for three years, until Hachikō died on March 8, 1935, at the age of 11. He was found on a street in Shibuya, and promptly carried to the Station baggage room. The last picture ever taken of him shows a dozen people praying around him, including station workers and Ueno’s partner, Yaeko Sakano. The photo was published the following day in the Yamato Shimbun.
Still, that was far from Hachikō’s appearance in the media. His legacy lives on statues, books, documentaries, and movies that tell his tale of unwavering loyalty. For his 100th birthday, an animated short film of his life was published on YouTube, sharing the story of this one-of-a-kind dog with new generations around the globe.
Over the 100 years that have passed since his birth, Hachikō has become a symbol of loyalty.
Photo: Unknown Author via Wikimedia Commons (Public domain)
The last picture ever taken of him shows a dozen people praying around him, including station workers and Ueno’s partner, Yaeko Sakano.
Photo: Shibuya Folk and Literary Shirane Memorial Museum via Wikimedia Commons (Public domain)
Still, that was far from Hachikō’s appearance in the media. His legacy lives on statues, books, documentaries, and movies that tell his tale of unwavering loyalty.
Photo: cowardlion/Depositphotos
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