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College professor, Hidesamuro Ueno, brought his Akita Hachiko to Tokyo back in 1924. Every single day Hachiko would see Uneo off for work and then actually go to Shibuya Station to meet him every single day at 4 o’clock. Only a year later poor Ueno passed away while at the University. Still every single day for the next 10 years, Hachiko would return to the station at the very same time to try and find his master. He was even given a bed at the station and was also feed there regularly.
Here’s a little video of his story:
People who passed through the station became fascinated by this dogs loyalty and unwavering love for his master. Below is a bit about how he became a symbol for Shibuya Station:
Hachiko’s love for his master impressed many people who passed through the station, including one of Ueno’s former students, who became fascinated by the Akita breed after seeing Hachiko. He discovered that there were only 30 Akitas living in Japan, and began to write articles about Hachiko and his remarkable breed, turning the world’s most loyal dog into a household name, and creating a resurgence in popularity for the Akita.
Hachiko died in 1935, after 10 long years of waiting for his master. But the dog would not be forgotten –a year before his death, Shibuya Station installed a bronze statue of the aging dog, to honor its mascot. Though the statue was melted down during World War II, a new version was created in 1948 by the son of the original artist. Go to the station now, and you’ll be able to see the bronze statue of Hachiko – still waiting, as ever, for his master to come home.
Have you ever heard of this loyal Akita before today or had the honor to visit his statue at the station?
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