was a Japanese
Akita dog
The dog (''Canis familiaris'' or ''Canis lupus familiaris'') is a domesticated descendant of the gray wolf. Also called the domestic dog, it was selectively bred from a population of wolves during the Late Pleistocene by hunter-gatherers. ...
remembered for his remarkable loyalty to his owner,
Hidesaburō Ueno, for whom he continued to wait for over nine years following Ueno's death.
Hachikō was born on November 10, 1923, at a farm near the city of
Ōdate, Akita Prefecture.
In 1924,
Hidesaburō Ueno, a professor at the
Tokyo Imperial University
The University of Tokyo (, abbreviated as in Japanese and UTokyo in English) is a public university, public research university in Bunkyō, Tokyo, Japan. Founded in 1877 as the nation's first modern university by the merger of several Edo peri ...
, brought him to live in
Shibuya
is a Special wards of Tokyo, special ward in Tokyo, Japan. A major commercial center, Shibuya houses one of the busiest railway stations in the world, Shibuya Station.
As of January 1, 2024, Shibuya Ward has an estimated population of 230,60 ...
, Tokyo as his pet. Hachikō would meet Ueno at
Shibuya Station
is a major railway station in Shibuya, Tokyo, Japan, operated by East Japan Railway Company (JR East), Keio Corporation, Tokyu Corporation, and Tokyo Metro. It serves as a terminal for six railway lines, five of which are operated by Tokyo Metro ...
every day after his commute home. This continued until May 21, 1925, when Ueno died of a
cerebral hemorrhage
Intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH), also known as hemorrhagic stroke, is a sudden bleeding into the tissues of the brain (i.e. the parenchyma), into its ventricles, or into both. An ICH is a type of bleeding within the skull and one kind of stro ...
while at work. From then until his death on March 8, 1935, Hachikō would return to Shibuya Station every day to await Ueno's return.
During his lifetime, the dog was held up in Japanese culture as an example of loyalty and fidelity. Since his death, he continues to be remembered worldwide in popular culture with statues, movies and books. Hachikō is also known in Japanese as , with the suffix originating as one once used for ancient Chinese dukes;
in this context, it was an affectionate addition to his name Hachi.
Life
Hachikō, a white Akita, was born on November 10, 1923, at a farm located in
Ōdate, Akita Prefecture, Japan. He was one of eight purebred Akita puppies, borne through his father Oshinai and mother Goma.
In January 1924, a 50-day-old Hachi was carried in a sack on a long train journey to Tokyo after
Hidesaburō Ueno, a professor in the agriculture department at the
Tokyo Imperial University
The University of Tokyo (, abbreviated as in Japanese and UTokyo in English) is a public university, public research university in Bunkyō, Tokyo, Japan. Founded in 1877 as the nation's first modern university by the merger of several Edo peri ...
, took Hachikō as a pet and brought him to live in
Shibuya
is a Special wards of Tokyo, special ward in Tokyo, Japan. A major commercial center, Shibuya houses one of the busiest railway stations in the world, Shibuya Station.
As of January 1, 2024, Shibuya Ward has an estimated population of 230,60 ...
, Tokyo. Accordingly, Professor Hidesaburō Ueno chose the name Hachi (八, “eight”) because his forepaws resembled the shape of the kanji for eight.
[Hachikō: The True Story of Japan’s Most Loyal Dog - Nippon.com](_blank)
/ref> Ueno, who had no children, doted on the dog, allowing Hachi to sleep indoors and under his bed, raising him with affectionate care. Ueno would commute daily to work, and Hachikō would leave the house to greet him at the end of each day at the nearby Shibuya Station. Locals and station staff soon became familiar with the pair and observed the dog’s daily routine. The pair continued the daily routine until May 21, 1925, when Ueno did not return.
That evening, Hachikō went to Shibuya Station as usual, but Ueno never returned. The professor had suffered a cerebral hemorrhage
Intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH), also known as hemorrhagic stroke, is a sudden bleeding into the tissues of the brain (i.e. the parenchyma), into its ventricles, or into both. An ICH is a type of bleeding within the skull and one kind of stro ...
while he was giving a lecture to his class and died subsequently. Hachikō, not understanding that his owner had died, showed up as usual in the evening and waited for Ueno’s arrival.[{{Cite web, title=Exhibition: Faithful Hachikō and Professor Ueno, url=https://www.kahaku.go.jp/english/, website=National Museum of Nature and Science, access-date=2025-06-06}] When Ueno failed to come home, Hachikō acted distressed and sniffed and paced around Ueno’s empty house, even refusing food for days.[{{Cite book, last=Turner, first=Pamela S., title=Hachiko: The True Story of a Loyal Dog, publisher=Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, year=2004, isbn=9780618140943] In the weeks that followed, Ueno’s wife, Yaeko and colleagues made arrangements for the dog’s care. Hachikō was given to new caretakers numerous times, and sent to the countryside briefly, but repeatedly escaped or wandered back to the Shibuya area. Eventually, one of Ueno’s former gardeners, Kikuzaburō Kobayashi, who lived near Shibuya, took Hachikō in and provided a home close to the station. [{{Cite web , title=ハチ公が渋谷駅に来ていた本当の理由とは , url=https://10mtv.jp/pc/column/article.php?column_article_id=1474 , website=テンミニッツTV , language=ja , access-date=2025-06-06] Yet Hachikō continued to travel to Shibuya Station almost daily. Each day despite weather conditions, the dog appeared in front of the station’s ticket gates, appearing precisely when the train was due at the station.
Hachikō waited for the next 9 years, 9 months and 15 days and eventually attracted the attention of other commuters. Many of the people who visited the Shibuya train station had seen Hachikō and Professor Ueno together each day. Initial reactions from the people were not necessarily friendly. After the first appearance of the article about him in {{transliteration, ja, Asahi Shimbun
is a Japanese daily newspaper founded in 1879. It is one of the oldest newspapers in Japan and Asia, and is considered a newspaper of record for Japan.
The ''Asahi Shimbun'' is one of the five largest newspapers in Japan along with the ''Yom ...
on October 4, 1932, people started to bring Hachikō treats and food to nourish him during his wait.
One of Ueno's students, Hirokichi Saito, who studied Akitas, saw the dog at the station and followed him to the home of Ueno's former gardener, Kozaburo Kobayashi, where he learned the history of Hachikō's life. Shortly after the meeting, the former student published a documented census of Akitas in Japan. His research found only 30 purebred Akitas remaining, including Hachikō from Shibuya Station. He returned to visit Hachikō, and over the years he published several articles about the dog's remarkable loyalty. In 1932, one of his articles, published in {{transliteration, ja, Asahi Shimbun, gained the dog in fame. Teachers and parents used Hachikō's vigil as an example for children to follow. Teru Ando built a sculpture of the dog, and throughout the country, and awareness of the Akita breed grew. Hachikō's faithfulness also became a national symbol of loyalty, particularly to the person and institution of Emperors.[{{cite web , url= http://www.berfrois.com/2011/09/aaron-herald-skabelund-hachiko/ , title= Canine Imperialism , first1=Aaron Herald , last1=Skabelund , website= berfrois.com , publisher= Berfrois , date=23 September 2011 , access-date=28 October 2011]
Death and legacy
Hachikō died on March 8, 1935, at the age of 11. He was found on a street in Shibuya.[{{Cite web , last= , first= , date=June 25, 2009 , title=Hollywood the latest to fall for tale of Hachiko , url=https://www.japantimes.co.jp/search?query=news , url-status=dead , archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230407022943/https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2009/06/25/national/hollywood-the-latest-to-fall-for-tale-of-hachiko/ , archive-date=April 7, 2023 , access-date= , website=The Japan Times] In March 2011, scientists finally settled the cause of Hachikō's death; the dog had both terminal cancer and a filaria infection. There were also four {{transliteration, ja, yakitori skewers in Hachikō's stomach, but the skewers did not damage his stomach nor cause his death. After his death, Hachikō's remains were cremated and his ashes were buried in Aoyama Cemetery, Minato, Tokyo where they rest beside Professor Ueno. Hachikō's pelt was preserved after his death, and his taxidermy
Taxidermy is the art of preserving an animal's body by mounting (over an armature) or stuffing, for the purpose of display or study. Animals are often, but not always, portrayed in a lifelike state. The word ''taxidermy'' describes the proces ...
is on display at the National Science Museum of Japan in Ueno, Tokyo.[{{cite web , url=http://www.northlandakitas.com/akitahistory/ahistory.htm , title=A History Of The Akita Dog , first1=Tatsuo , last1=Kimura , publisher=Akita Learning Center , access-date=May 6, 2011] Each year on March 8, Hachikō is honored with a ceremony of remembrance at Shibuya Station.
Bronze statues
{{See also, Statue of Hachikō
In April 1934, a bronze statue based on Hachikō sculpted by Teru Ando was revealed at the Shibuya Station
is a major railway station in Shibuya, Tokyo, Japan, operated by East Japan Railway Company (JR East), Keio Corporation, Tokyu Corporation, and Tokyo Metro. It serves as a terminal for six railway lines, five of which are operated by Tokyo Metro ...
. The statue was recycled for the war effort during World War II
World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...
. In 1948, Takeshi Ando, (son of the original artist), made a second statue. The new statue, which was erected in August 1948, still stands and is a popular meeting spot. The station entrance near this statue is named "Hachikō-guchi", meaning "The Hachikō Entrance/Exit", and is one of Shibuya Station's five exits.
Another statue is in Hachikō's hometown, in front of Ōdate Station; it was built in 1932. In 2004, a new statue of Hachikō was erected in front of the Akita Dog Museum in Ōdate. After the release of the American movie '' Hachi: A Dog's Tale'' (2009), which was filmed in Woonsocket, Rhode Island, the Japanese Consulate in the United States helped the Blackstone Valley Tourism Council and the city of Woonsocket to reveal an identical statue of Hachikō at the Woonsocket Depot Square, which was the location of the "Bedridge" train station featured in the movie. On March 9, 2015, the Faculty of Agriculture of the University of Tokyo
The University of Tokyo (, abbreviated as in Japanese and UTokyo in English) is a public research university in Bunkyō, Tokyo, Japan. Founded in 1877 as the nation's first modern university by the merger of several pre-westernisation era ins ...
, Ueno's alma mater and workplace where he commuted every workday during his time with Hachikō, made a bronze statue depicting Ueno returning to meet Hachikō to commemorate the 80th anniversary of Hachikō's death. The statue was sculpted by Tsutomu Ueda from Nagoya
is the largest city in the Chūbu region of Japan. It is the list of cities in Japan, fourth-most populous city in Japan, with a population of 2.3million in 2020, and the principal city of the Chūkyō metropolitan area, which is the List of ...
and depicts an excited Hachikō jumping up to greet his master at the end of a workday. Ueno is dressed in a hat, suit, and trench coat, with his briefcase placed on the ground. Hachikō wears a studded harness as seen in his last photos.
Hachikō's Bark
In 1994, Nippon Cultural Broadcasting in Japan was able to restore a recording of Hachikō barking from an old 78 RPM record that had been broken into several pieces. The pieces were melded together using a laser
A laser is a device that emits light through a process of optical amplification based on the stimulated emission of electromagnetic radiation. The word ''laser'' originated as an acronym for light amplification by stimulated emission of radi ...
. A huge advertising campaign ensued and on Saturday, May 28, 1994; 59 years after his death, millions of radio
Radio is the technology of communicating using radio waves. Radio waves are electromagnetic waves of frequency between 3 hertz (Hz) and 300 gigahertz (GHz). They are generated by an electronic device called a transmitter connec ...
listeners tuned in to hear Hachikō's bark.
Shibuya Ward Minibus
In 2003, in Shibuya ward, a minibus (officially called "community bus") started routes in the ward, nicknamed "Hachiko-bus". There are four different routes. People can hear the theme song {{nihongo, , ハチ公バスのうた, Hachiko-basu no uta in this bus.{{Citation needed, date=February 2021
Images
In July 2012, photos from Hachikō's life were shown at the Shibuya Folk and Literary Shirane Memorial Museum in Shibuya
is a Special wards of Tokyo, special ward in Tokyo, Japan. A major commercial center, Shibuya houses one of the busiest railway stations in the world, Shibuya Station.
As of January 1, 2024, Shibuya Ward has an estimated population of 230,60 ...
as part of the {{transliteration, ja, Shin Shuzo Shiryoten exhibition of newly stored materials. In November 2015, a previously undiscovered photograph of Hachikō was found. The image, which was captured in 1934 by a Tokyo bank employee, shows the dog relaxing by himself in front of Shibuya Station.
Yaeko Sakano
{{nihongo, Yaeko Sakano, 坂野 八重子, Sakano Yaeko, more often referred as Yaeko Ueno, was the unmarried partner of Hidesaburō Ueno for about 10 years until his death in 1925. Hachikō was reported to have shown great happiness and affection towards her whenever she came to visit him. Yaeko died on April 30, 1961, at the age of 76 and was buried at a temple in Taitō, further away from Ueno's grave, despite her requests to her family members to be buried with her partner. In 2013, Yaeko's record indicated that she wanted to be buried with Ueno, was found by Sho Shiozawa, who is a professor of the University of Tokyo. Shiozawa was also the president of the Japanese Society of Irrigation, Drainage, and Rural Engineering, which manages Ueno's grave at Aoyama Cemetery. On November 10, 2013, which marked the 90th anniversary of the birth of Hachikō, Sho Shiozawa and Keita Matsui, a curator of the Shibuya Folk and Literary Shirane Memorial Museum, felt the need of Yaeko to be buried together with Ueno and Hachikō. The process began with willing consent from the Ueno and Sakano families and the successful negotiations with management of the Aoyama Cemetery. However, due to regulations and bureaucracy
Bureaucracy ( ) is a system of organization where laws or regulatory authority are implemented by civil servants or non-elected officials (most of the time). Historically, a bureaucracy was a government administration managed by departments ...
, the process took about 2 years. Shiozawa also went on as one of the organizers involved with the erection of bronze statue of Hachikō and Ueno which was unveiled on the grounds of the University of Tokyo on March 9, 2015, to commemorate the 80th anniversary of Hachikō's death.
Birthdays
On November 10, 2012, Google
Google LLC (, ) is an American multinational corporation and technology company focusing on online advertising, search engine technology, cloud computing, computer software, quantum computing, e-commerce, consumer electronics, and artificial ...
commemorated what would have been Hachikō's 89th birthday by uploading a Google Doodle
Google Doodle is a special, temporary alteration of the logo on Google's homepages intended to commemorate holidays, events, achievements, and historical figures. The first Google Doodle honored the 1998 edition of the long-running annual Bu ...
that depicts the famous dog waiting by the Shibuya Station railway and holding Ueno's hat in his mouth. On November 10, 2023, the Japanese people commemorated what would have been Hachikō's 100th birthday. Events included visits to the Shibuya Station, songs, and dances. A holographic display of Hachikō was installed at the Akita Dog Visitor Center in Odate, Akita Prefecture, greeting guests who came by to celebrate his birth.
Reunion of Hachikō's family
On May 19, 2016, during the ceremony at the Aoyama Cemetery with both Ueno and Sakano families in present, some of the ashes of Yaeko Sakano were buried with Ueno and Hachikō, her name and the date of her death was inscribed on the side of his tombstone, thus fulfilling the reunion of Hachikō's family.''"By putting the names of both on their grave, we can show future generations the fact that Hachikō had two keepers,"'' Shiozawa said. ''"To Hachikō the professor was his father, and Yaeko was his mother,"'' Matsui added.
Gallery
File:Stuffed production of Hachiko Scan10038.JPG, Stuffing of Hachikō
File:Hachiko Stuffed specimen.jpg, Hachikō's taxidermied fur exhibited at the National Museum of Nature and Science
The is in the northeast corner of Ueno Park in Tokyo. The museum has exhibitions on pre-Meiji period, Meiji science in Japan. It is the venue of the taxidermied bodies of the legendary dogs Hachikō and Taro and Jiro. A life-size blue whale mod ...
in Ueno
File:Front of the Statue of Hachikō, from The Holidays in Tōkyō - Shibuya, Tōkyō - 1954 - Hayashi Tadahiko.png, Close up of the statue in 1954
In media
Hachikō plays an important part in the 1967 children's book ''Taka-chan and I: A Dog's Journey to Japan''.
Hachikō was the subject of the 1987 film {{nihongo3, "The Tale of Hachikō", ハチ公物語, Hachikō Monogatari[{{IMDb title, qid=Q1750530, title=Hachikō Monogatari.] directed by Seijirō Kōyama, which told the story of his life from his birth up until his death and had spiritual reunion with his master. Considered a blockbuster success, the film was the last big hit for Japanese film studio Shochiku Kinema Kenkyū-jo.
"Jurassic Bark
"Jurassic Bark" is the seventh episode in the fourth season of the American animated television series '' Futurama'', and the 61st episode of the series overall. It first aired on the Fox network in the United States on November 17, 2002. Th ...
" (2002), episode 7 of season 4 of the animated series ''Futurama
''Futurama'' is an American animated science fiction sitcom created by Matt Groening for the Fox Broadcasting Company and later revived by Comedy Central, and then Hulu. The series follows Philip J. Fry, who is cryogenically preserved for 1 ...
'' has an extended homage to Hachikō, with Fry discovering the fossilized remains of his dog, Seymour. After Fry was frozen, Seymour is shown to have waited for Fry to return for 12 years outside Panucci's Pizza, where Fry worked, never disobeying his master's last command to wait for him.
Hachikō is also the subject of a 2004 children's book entitled: ''Hachikō: The True Story of a Loyal Dog'', written by Pamela S. Turner and illustrated by Yan Nascimbene. Another children's book, a short novel for readers of all ages called '' Hachiko Waits'', written by Lesléa Newman
Lesléa Newman (born November 5, 1955, in Brooklyn
Brooklyn is a Boroughs of New York City, borough of New York City located at the westernmost end of Long Island in the New York (state), State of New York. Formerly an independent city, the ...
and illustrated by Machiyo Kodaira, was published by Henry Holt & Co. in 2004. Another illustrated book about the faithful dog is: ''Hachikō: The Dog that Waited'', by Catalan author Lluís Prats and Polish illustrator Zuzanna Celej, published in 2022.
In the Japanese manga ''One Piece
''One Piece'' (stylized in all caps) is a Japanese manga series written and illustrated by Eiichiro Oda. It follows the adventures of Monkey D. Luffy and his crew, the Straw Hat Pirates, as he explores the Grand Line in search of the myt ...
'', there is a similar story with a dog named Shushu.
In the video game: '' The World Ends with You'' (2007), the Hachikō statue is featured, it's referenced on several occasions. The location of the statue plays a role in the narrative of the game. The statue is featured again in the sequel: '' Neo: The World Ends with You'' (2021).
'' Hachi: A Dog's Tale'' (released August 2009), is an American movie starring actor Richard Gere
Richard Tiffany Gere ( ; born August 31, 1949) is an American actor. He began appearing in films in the 1970s, playing a supporting role in ''Looking for Mr. Goodbar (film), Looking for Mr. Goodbar'' (1977) and a starring role in ''Days of Hea ...
, directed by Lasse Hallström
Lars Sven "Lasse" Hallström (; born 2 June 1946) is a Swedish film director. He first became known for directing almost all the music videos by the pop music, pop group ABBA, but came to international attention with his 1985 feature film ''My L ...
, about Hachikō and his relationship with an American professor & his family following the same story, but different, for example Hachikō was a gift to professor Ueno, this part is entirely different in the American version. The movie was filmed in Woonsocket, Rhode Island, primarily in and around the Woonsocket Depot Square area and also featured Joan Allen and Jason Alexander
Jay Scott Greenspan (born September 23, 1959), known professionally as Jason Alexander, is an American actor and comedian. Over the course of his career he has received an Emmy Award and a Tony Award as well as nominations for four Golden Globe ...
. The role of Hachi was played by three Akitas: Leyla, Chico, and Forrest. Mark Harden describes how he and his team trained the three dogs in the book: ''"Animal Stars: Behind the Scenes with Your Favorite Animal Actors."'' After the movie was completed, Harden adopted Chico.
The 2015 Telugu film, ''Tommy'', was based on the story of Hachikō.[{{Cite web, title=Tommy Telugu Movie Review, Rating, url=https://www.indiaherald.com/Movies/Read/81368/Related-Content-URL, access-date=2020-10-10, website=APHerald ndhra Pradesh Heraldlanguage=en]
Similar cases
{{Main, List of individual dogs#Faithful after owner's death
See also
* Argos (dog)
In Homer's ''Odyssey'', Argos (; ), sometimes referred to as Argus, is the legendary faithful dog of Odysseus. Bred to be a hunting dog before Odysseus leaves for the Trojan War, Argos is neglected after Odysseus is presumed dead. Twenty year ...
* Balto
* Fido (Italian dog)
* Greyfriars Bobby
* Jurassic Bark
"Jurassic Bark" is the seventh episode in the fourth season of the American animated television series '' Futurama'', and the 61st episode of the series overall. It first aired on the Fox network in the United States on November 17, 2002. Th ...
*List of individual dogs
The following is a list of individual dogs.
Actors
Advertising
* Alex the dog, Banjo, portrayed Carlos, an Irish Setter-Golden Retriever mix and star of Stroh Brewery Company, Stroh's beer advertising in the 1980s. Also mentioned in the 1 ...
* Loyalty (monument)
*"Man's best friend
"Man's best friend" is a common title given to both domestic dogs, referring to their multi-millennia-long history of Human-canine bond, close relations, loyalty, friendship, and companionship with humans. The first recorded use of a related ph ...
"
* Nipro Hachiko Dome
* Pet ownership in Japan
*'' Stargazing Dog''
* Togo (dog)
* Shep (American dog)
{{Portal bar, Tokyo, Dogs
References
{{Reflist, 30em
Further reading
* {{cite book , title=Hachi: The Truth of the Life and Legend of the Most Famous Dog in Japan , publisher=Amazon.com
Amazon.com, Inc., doing business as Amazon, is an American multinational technology company engaged in e-commerce, cloud computing, online advertising, digital streaming, and artificial intelligence. Founded in 1994 by Jeff Bezos in Bellevu ...
Kindle E-book
An ebook (short for electronic book), also spelled as e-book or eBook, is a book publication made available in electronic form, consisting of text, images, or both, readable on the flat-panel display of computers or other electronic devices. Al ...
, first1=Mayumi , last1=Itoh , year=2013 , asin=B00BNBWDQ4
* {{cite book , title=Empire of Dogs: Canines, Japan, and the Making of the Modern Imperial World , series=Studies of the Weatherhead East Asian Institute , publisher=Columbia University
Columbia University in the City of New York, commonly referred to as Columbia University, is a Private university, private Ivy League research university in New York City. Established in 1754 as King's College on the grounds of Trinity Churc ...
, first1=Aaron Herald , last1=Skabelund , isbn=978-0-8014-5025-9 , year=2011 , url=https://books.google.com/books?id=zovKIQO6aEYC
*{{cite book , title=Hachi&Friends , publisher=Amazon.com
Amazon.com, Inc., doing business as Amazon, is an American multinational technology company engaged in e-commerce, cloud computing, online advertising, digital streaming, and artificial intelligence. Founded in 1994 by Jeff Bezos in Bellevu ...
, first1=Anastasia , last1=Ormeron , year=2021 , asin=B0921HP6MG
External links
{{Commons
* {{cite web , url=http://www.berfrois.com/2011/09/aaron-herald-skabelund-hachiko/ , title=Canine Imperialism , first1=Aaron Herald , last1=Skabelund , publisher=Berfrois , date=23 September 2011 , access-date=28 October 2011
{{Authority control
{{DEFAULTSORT:Hachiko
1923 animal births
1935 animal deaths
Dog monuments
Cultural history of Japan
Statues in Japan
1930s in Japan
Individual dogs in Japan
Individual taxidermy exhibits
Deaths from cancer in Japan
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