Hachikō was an Akita dog from Japan, born in 1923. He was owned by Professor Hidesaburō Ueno in Tokyo.
Every day, Hachikō would accompany his owner to Shibuya Station and return every afternoon to wait for him to come home.
However, in 1925, Professor Ueno suddenly died from a cerebral hemorrhage while teaching at the university. Hachikō did not know this.
From that day on, he continued coming to Shibuya Station every evening, waiting for his owner to return… for nearly 10 years.
At first, many people thought Hachikō was just a stray dog. But over time, shopkeepers and station passengers were deeply moved by his loyalty. They began feeding and caring for him.
Because of his story, Hachikō became a symbol of loyalty in Japan. A famous statue was even built in front of Shibuya Station, which is now one of Tokyo’s most popular meeting spots.
Hachikō passed away on March 8, 1935, near Shibuya. Modern research in 2011 later revealed that he died from cancer and a heartworm infection.
