Hachiko, An Amazing Dog and Faithful Friend
A loyal Akita dog in Japan
Hachiko was a loyal friend
If you are ever in Tokyo, Japan, at the Shibuya Subway Station, you will likely see a bronze statue of a large dog. The dog’s name is Hachiko, and he is a male Akita breed dog. Hachiko was born on a farm on November 10, 1923, in Akita Prefecture, Japan. He became the pet of a professor at the University of Tokyo, Hidesaburo Ueno, in 1924. Ueno would go to the nearby Shibuya station each day to go to work at the university. At the end of each day, Hachiko would be there to greet his owner after his commute home from work.
Hachiko was there to meet Ueno after work each day until May 21, 1925. Unfortunately, Ueno suffered a cerebral hemorrhage while at work that day so he did not return on the subway. From then until Hachiko died on March 8, 1935, the dog would return to the Shibuya station every day to wait for Ueno to return. He went to the station for almost ten years after his owner’s death.
Many of the other commuters noticed Hachiko waiting at the station for his owner. Some had seen Hachiko and Professor Ueno together. Then the dog was there by himself each day. People were not always friendly or favorable to the dog until an article about him was in the newspaper in 1932. Then people started to bring Hachiko food or…
