The dog Hachikō became so famous in Japan that a bronze monument was erected to him, and he has been the subject of several movies. One of these is an American-British production from 2009, starring Richard Gere.
The dog Hachikō, known for his legendary loyalty to his master, died on this day in 1935. Namely, Hachikō was the dog of Professor Hidesaburō Ueno from the Tokyo University, and used to greet his master at the railway station every day when he came back from work. However, the professor died from a stroke in 1925, never again returning to the railway station. However, Hachikō continued to return to the station every day during the next nine years, hoping the professor would come back. Passersby noticed Hachikō’s extraordinary loyalty, and the dog soon got into the media and became famous throughout Japan.
Hachikō belonged to the Akita breed, which originates from the north of the Japanese island of Honshu. Due to his media presence, Hachikō became so famous in Japan that a bronze monument was erected to him, and he has been the subject of several movies. One of these is an American-British production from 2009, starring Richard Gere.
At the moment of his death in 1935, Hachikō was 11 years old. A monument to him has been erected at the Aoyama cemetery in Tokyo, next to the grave of his master, Hidesaburō Ueno.
