Amidst the hustle and bustle of Tokyo’s primary train stations is a statue of a dog whose enduring devotion tale has made him a cherished mascot for many years.
This week marks Hachiko’s centennial as the property of university professor Hidesaburo Ueno. Every day, the devoted dog would wait for his master to return home at Shibuya station.
Hachiko died in March 1935, but she kept going to the train station to mournfully wait for Ueno for almost ten years after his untimely death in 1925.
Many residents were moved by the tale, which was reminiscent of Scotland’s “Greyfriars Bobby” in the 19th century, and donated funds to have the statue erected in 1934—just before the dog passed away.
The statue was destroyed for its metal during World War II, but a replacement was placed in 1948 and quickly gained popularity as a gathering place.
In Odate, the birthplace of Hachiko, locals and visitors from other countries swarm to take pictures with the statue of the Japanese Akita dog, a well-known breed that has its own museum.
“I would like my dog to be waiting for me as long a time as he did,” Spanish honeymooner Omar Sanchez, 33, said as he snapped selfies with his wife and the statue.
“The story is sweet. And we need nice stories,” said US businessman Daniel Callahan, 62. “The world is fractured… Anything that can bring people together is nice.”
Hachiko’s legend inspired a 2009 Hollywood movie starring Richard Gere as well as an Indian film in 2015, while also featuring in a Japanese video game.
Not all Tokyoites know the story though. Raisa Abe, a 20-year-old college student, standing next to the statue to wait for her friend, said she didn’t know why it attracts so many tourists.
“This is the first time I heard the story,” she said.
“This is a spot that you hear about all the time, even if you don’t know Shibuya,” Abe said. “Everybody knows where this is. I hope this will remain here.”
