Consequently, Hachikō’s statue was melted down to use for ammunition.īut in 1948, the beloved pet was immortalized in a new statue erected in Shibuya Station, where it remains to this day.Īs millions of passengers pass through this station daily, Hachikō stands proud.

But soon after this statue went up, the nation became consumed by World War II. The dog had become such an important symbol in Japan that donations were made to erect a bronze statue of him in the exact spot he had faithfully waited for his master. It’s now housed in the National Museum of Nature and Science in Ueno, Tokyo. His fur, however, was preserved, stuffed, and mounted. The master and his loyal dog had finally reunited. He was cremated and his ashes were placed next to Professor Ueno’s grave in Aoyama Cemetery in Tokyo. Hachikō’s passing made national headlines. He even had four yakitori skewers in his stomach, but researchers concluded that the skewers were not the cause of Hachikō’s death. Scientists, who weren’t able to determine his cause of death until 2011, found that the dog Hachikō likely died of a filaria infection and cancer. Hachikō’s great vigil finally came to an end on March 8, 1935, when he was found dead in the streets of Shibuya at the age of 11. There, Kobayashi filled him in on the story of Hachikō’s life.Īlamy Since his death, a number of statues have been erected in his honor. He followed the dog from the station to the home of Ueno’s former gardener, Kuzaburo Kobayashi. When he arrived, he saw Hachikō there, as usual. He decided to take the train to Shibuya to see for himself if his professor’s pet would still be waiting. In fact, one of Professor Ueno’s former students, Hirokichi Saito, who also happened to be an expert on the Akita breed, got wind of Hachikō’s routine. His presence had a great impact on the local community of Shibuya and he became something of an icon. Hatchi: A Dog's Tale - HD Trailer - Coming Soon. The days turned into weeks, then months, then years, and still Hachikō returned to the station each day to wait. A college professor takes in a dog he finds abandoned, and both find their lives changed forever as they form an unbreakable bond.

Soon, station employees began to bring treats for the devoted canine and sometimes sat beside him to keep him company. Soon, the lone dog began to draw the attention of other commuters.Īt first, the station workers were not all that friendly to Hachikō, but his fidelity won them over. Hachikō was reportedly given away after his master’s death, but he regularly ran off to Shibuya Station at 3 p.m. Wikimedia Commons Hachikō was only one of 30 purebred Akitas on record at the time.

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