The Story Of Hachikō, The Japanese Dog Who Waited For His Owner For Ten Years

After nearly a century, the story of Hachikō remains both inspiring and devastating the world over.

Every day between 1925 and 1935, Hachikō the dog waited at Tokyo's Shibuya train station in hopes that his dead master would return.

Hachikō the dog was more than a pet. As the canine companion to a university professor, Hachikō patiently waited his owner’s return from work at their local train station each evening.

But when the professor died suddenly one day at work, Hachikō was left waiting at the station — for nearly a decade. Every day after his master passed, Hachikō returned to the train station, often to the chagrin of the employees who worked there.

Hachikō the Akita was born on Nov. 10, 1923, on a farm located in Japan’s Akita Prefecture.

In 1924, Professor Hidesaburō Ueno, who taught in the agriculture department at Tokyo Imperial University, acquired the puppy and brought him to live with him in the Shibuya neighborhood of Tokyo.

The pair followed the same routine every day: In the morning Ueno would walk to the Shibuya Station with Hachikō and take the train to work. After finishing the day’s classes, he would take the train back and return to the station at 3 p.m. on the dot, where Hachikō would be waiting to accompany him on the walk home.

The pair kept up this schedule religiously until one day in May 1925 when Professor Ueno suffered a fatal brain hemorrhage while teaching.

That same day, Hachikō showed up at 3 p.m. as usual, but his beloved owner never got off the train.

Despite this disruption in his routine, Hachikō returned the next day at the same time, hoping that Ueno would be there to meet him. Of course, the professor failed to return home once again, but his loyal Akita never gave up hope.

The days turned into weeks, then months, then years, and still Hachikō returned to the station each day to wait. His presence had a great impact on the local community of Shibuya and he became something of an icon.

The faithful pet never let old age or arthritis interrupt his routine. For the next nine years and nine months, Hachikō still returned to the station every day to wait.

Hachikō’s story finally came to an end on March 8, 1935, when he was found dead in the streets of Shibuya at the age of 11.

Hachikō’s passing made national headlines. He was cremated and his ashes were placed next to Professor Ueno’s grave in Aoyama Cemetery in Tokyo. The master and his loyal dog had finally reunited.

source: allthatsinteresting.com