Hachiko was a dog known for his infinite loyalty and love for his owner, his owner was a professor at a university and the dog waited for him at the station every day until he returned, even after his death.
This show of affection and loyalty made Hachiko’s story famous around the world and even made a film telling his story.
- It is a perfect example of the love that a dog can feel for its owner and that will make even the hardest person cry.
- If you don’t already know Hachiko’s story.
- The faithful dog grabs a pack of tissues and continues reading this animal expert article.
Hachiko was Akita Inu, born in 1923 in Akita prefecture, a year later, he became a gift for the daughter of an agricultural engineering professor at the University of Tokyo, when professor Eisaburo Ueno saw him for the first time, he noticed that its legs were slightly crooked, they resembled the kanji for the number 8 (?, who in Japanese pronounces hachi), and therefore its name, Hachiko.
When Ueno’s daughter grew up, she married and went to live with her husband, leaving the dog behind.The professor had created a strong bond with Hachiko and therefore decided to stay with him instead of offering it to someone.
Ueno went to work by train every day and Hachiko became his faithful companion.Every morning I would accompany him to Shibuya Station and see him again on his way back.
One day, while teaching at university, Ueno suffered a cardiac arrest that ended his life, however, Hachiko continued to wait for him in Shibuya.
Day after day, Hachiko went to the station and waited for hours for his owner, looking for his face among the thousands of strangers who passed by, the days turned into months and the months in years, Hachiko has been waiting relentlessly for his owner for nine long years, whether raining, snowing or sunny.
The people of Shibuya knew Hachiko and were responsible all the time, fed him and cared for him while the dog waited at the station gate.This loyalty of its owner has earned it the nickname “faithful dog”, and the film in his honor is titled “Always at Your Side”.
All this affection and admiration for Hachiko caused a statue to be erected in 1934 in his honor, in front of the station, where the dog waited daily for its owner.
On 9 March 1935 they found Hachiko dead at the foot of the statue, died from his age at the same place where he had been waiting for the return of his owner for nine years.The remains of the faithful dog were then buried.to its owner at Aoyama Cemetery in Tokyo.
During World War II, all bronze statues were fused to make weapons, including Hachiko’s; however, a few years later, a company was created to make a new statue and put it back in the same place.Finally, Takeshi Ando, the son of the original sculptor, was hired so that he could redo the statue.
Today, the Hachiko statue remains in the same place, opposite Shibuya Train Station and its fidelity is celebrated on 8 April each year.
After all these years, the story of Hachiko, the faithful dog, lives on thanks to the demonstration of love, loyalty and unconditional affection that has touched the hearts of an entire population.
Also know the story of Laika, the first living being to be launched into space.
If you would like to read articles similar to, we recommend that you visit our Curiosities section of the animal world.