JCC E-Magazine November 2023

Hachiko, the faithful Akita dog, has become a famous icon and popular meeting spot at Shibuya station. His tale has been retold in multiple books and movies, and in different languages. This November would mark 100 years since the symbol of loyalty was born. How well do you know Hachiko’s story?

The Akita dog was born in November 1923, in Odate city of Akita prefecture. Alongside Shiba-Inu, the Akita breed is one of Japan’s most popular Japanese dog breeds. They are known to be clever and affectionate to their owners, and would remain stubbornly loyal to their owners for their entire lifetime. They were designated as a national icon by the Japanese government in 1931. Apparently, Helen Keller kept two Akita dogs in the 1930s.

Professor Hidesaburo Ueno, who taught at Tokyo Imperial University, adopted the puppy soon after its birth. Hachiko, together with two other pet dogs, would accompany the professor to Shibuya station during his commute to work, and then wait there for his return. However, the professor suddenly passed away due to a brain haemorrhage in May 1925 while at university, and never had a proper farewell with Hachiko. For the next several months, Hachiko would live with different families outside of Shibuya. Even when living in Asakusa, the faithful dog would still travel to Shibuya. Hachiko eventually stayed with Professor Ueno’s gardener, Kikusaburo Kobayashi, in Yoyogi. Despite living a station away from Shibuya, he continued his daily visits to Shibuya station to wait unconditionally for his owner, be it rain or shine.

He became known across Japan after The Tokyo Asahi Shimbun published about his story in October 1932. As a result, crowds of people came to see Hachiko, and many donated food too. A fundraising event to erect a statue of the dog was also held in 1934. During the unveiling ceremony of the statue at Shibuya station, Hachiko was also apparently present.

The loyal dog eventually passed away on 8 March 1935, and his death made the headlines. Thousands came to visit his statue, and another fundraising event was held to erect his statue at Odate station. While Hachiko was cremated and buried next to his owner, his fur was preserved and later stuffed and is exhibited at the National Museum of Nature and Science. You can also find a statue of Hachiko and his owner in Tsu city of Mie prefecture, which is the birthplace of the Professor Ueno, as well as another at the Faculty of Agriculture, University of Tokyo, where the professor taught. Outside of Japan, there is a Hachiko statue located at Rhode Island, which was the setting for the Hollywood movie.

In celebration of Hachiko’s 100th birthday, committee members from Odate and Shibuya launched the HACHI100 Project this year, and there is a line-up of various events. The most loyal dog is still well-remembered for the tale of waiting for his owner for almost 10 years, even after 100 years. Without a doubt, Hachiko will continue to be a strong symbol of loyalty for many years to come.

Akita breed © Web Japan

Hachiko with the Ueno Family © Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

Hachiko at Shibuya Station © Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

Hachiko statue at Rhode Island © Sudhindranath at English Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Resources

“Clever, Obedient, and Cute! The Charm of Japanese Dogs Like Shiba-Inu and Akira”. 2021. Web Japan. Accessed 17 October. https://web-japan.org/kidsweb/explore/calendar/october/foliage.html.

Yong, Nicholas. 2023. “Hachiko: The world’s most loyal dog turns 100”. BBC. https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-65259426.

“History of Loyal Dog Hachi”. 2023. Odate City Tourism Division. Accessed 17 October. https://hachi100.visitakita.com/top/en/story/.

Inoue, Noboru. 2023. “Loyal Hachiko continues to win hearts 100 years after birth”. The Asahi Shimbun. https://www.asahi.com/ajw/articles/14861111.

Koh, Ignatius. 2019. “Hachiko Statue in Shibuya”. Japan Travel. https://en.japantravel.com/tokyo/hachiko-statue-in-shibuya/44644.

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