Real historical photos of Hachiko and the story of the most faithful friend

Everyone has heard of Hachiko, but not everyone knows that this dog really existed. In Japan, this dog has become a real symbol of loyalty and devotion.

Hachiko is an Akita Inu dog. He was born on November 10, 1923 on a farm in Adate, Akita Prefecture, Japan.  In 1924, Hidesabura Ueno, a professor at the Faculty of Agriculture at Tokyo Imperial University, adopted Hachiko as a pet and brought him to Tokyo.

Hidesaburu Ueno worked at the university, and every day he went to Shibuya Station, which was not far from his home. Hachiko always saw off the man, and at the end of the working day he welcomed hm back.

And this was continuing every day, until May 21, 1925. One day Ueno didn’t come back…

The man had a cerebral hemorrhage when he was giving a lecture. He died, and never returned to the station, where Hachiko was already habitually sitting and waiting for him.

And every day, for nine years and nine months, Hachiko was waiting for his owner. He was coming exactly at the time when the train was arriving at the station.

After some time, the dog began to attract the attention of other passengers. Some of them knew Hachiko and Professor Ueno, having seen them together at the station.

Newspapers began to write about Hachiko. After the appearance of the first article about him, people began to visit the dog and bring him food and treats.

One day, a former student of Ueno, Hirokichi Saito, who studied the Akita breed, followed the dog to the house of the professor’s former gardener, and learned the whole story of Hachiko’s life. After that, the student began to do a census of Akita dogs in Japan. It turned out that only 30 purebred Akita Inu remained, together with Hachiko. He began visiting the dog frequently, and soon wrote several articles about the dog’s devotion.

In 1932, one of his articles placed the dog at the center of attention throughout Japan.

Since then, Hachiko has become famous. Everyone knew about him. His loyalty and devotion to his master touched all the people of Japan. Teachers in schools talked about Hachiko as a role model. And a Japanese artist made a sculpture of a dog, since then the Akita breed has become very popular.

Hachiko died on March 8, 1935, he was 11 years old. People found the dog on the street in the Shibuya area.

Only in 2011, scientists were able to establish the real cause of Hachiko’s death: he had cancer and an infection.

The remains of the dog were cremated, and the ashes were buried next to the grave of his owner Professor Ueno.

Statue of Hachiko in Tokyo. March 8, 1936, one year since the death of Hachiko.