Hachiko, Japan’s most Faithful Dog
Hachiko the Akita was born in 1923, and was first brought to Tokyo in 1924. He and his owner, Mr. Eisaburo Uyeno, were inseparable right from the start.
Hachiko would accompany Uyeno, a professor, to the train station when he left for work every morning. When the professor came home on the train from the University, he’d find his beloved dog waiting for him on the platform every night, tail wagging.
This routine continued until one day in 1925 when the Professor Uyeno unfortunately suffered a stroke and died while at work. Not knowing where his best friend was, Hachiko loyally waited for two days at the station for him to come home on the train as he’d done every other night.
For the next ten years, Hachiko continued to wait every night at the Shibuya Train station for his friend who was never coming back. At times, he wouldn’t return home for several days.
On March 8, 1935, Hachiko died while waiting at the train station on the very same spot he last saw his best friend.
The people who passed the loyal dog every day were so touched by his story they erected a statue in his honor in 1934. A famous artist (Ando Teru) was commissioned for the original bronzed sculpture.
The statue was melted down during the war, although after the war Hachiko was still widely loved and remembered. In 1948 The Society For Recreating The Hachiko Statue commissioned Ando Tekeshi, the son of the original artist who has since passed away, to create the second statue.
Hachiko may have only been 92 pounds and a few feet high, but the message he left us with on the importance of loyalty and friendship is an everlasting one.
Hachiko Statue
Oh my God. That’s an amazing story – I was crying! I’m going to go hug my dog now….
I first saw this in a Futurama episode, and found it was based on the true Hachiko story a couple of years later.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jurassic_Bark
Jackie – It made me cry, too….I thought it was such a touching story.
Vince – I remember that episode. I agree with the Wikipedia quote — it was one of the saddest endings I’ve ever seen on a TV show.
Of course, being a complete LOVER of animals, and having a loyal 92 lb dog myself, this really hit home. It is so amazing to me how loyal dogs (cats too) are to their owners. They are so much more sensitive and emotional than many give them credit for. I am so glad you shared this. animals are THE BEST and we truly can learn from them – including in the arena of loyalty. Bravo.
Cameron – Dogs really are the best! We have two 50lb dogs who think they’re lap dogs, and are truly so loyal and loving….all dogs want is a little bit of love from us.
I read something in the New York Times about dogs’ heartbeats — their HB changes when they’re around humans…the pattern becomes similar to humans’ heart rates when they’re flirting or are with someone they’re in love with.
Beautiful story. I had never heard it before!! Dogs are very loyal unlike my cats. Bad kitties!! They try to knock you over for food every time.
Eileen – Very funny about your cats! LOL!
Believe me – my dogs barely know we exist when we have chicken or steak cooking. 
Wow….what a touching story. Animals are so good to us. You know, I had a friend from China, who had to move, and left her dog to her grandma’s house…and that dog traveled about 6-7 miles back to his old home and just sat there waiting for her to come back…
Sophia – That’s such a heart warming, touching story — thank you for sharing it
I like to think I’m quite different from Chuck Norris in most ways. I never work out with Christie Brinkley, for one thing, and for another, I pay a nice lady at the salon a hefty chunk of change every month to rid me of my facial hair by pouring hot wax on my face, allowing it to cool, then ripping it off while I scream.
But Chuck and I DO have one thing in common, or at least we did:
Our tears cure cancer. Too bad we never cry.
Until today, that is. Sniff.
Kel – The story made me cry, too…I thought it was so sweet and sad.
tissue alert!!! I LOVE dogs and this story is so awesome.
JennyMac – Thanks! I thought it was fabulous…nothing better than a loyal, loving pup story to pull at your heart strings