History’s Most Loyal Dog, Hachiko (1934)
January of 1924, agricultural professor Hidesaburo Ueno adopted a floppy eared little puppy, named Hachi (translating to ‘eight’). Each day, Ueno took the train to work. Hachi went with Ueno and saw him off on the train. The faithful pup would linger around the station with two other canine friends waiting for Ueno to return. But on May 12, 1925, Ueno passed away suddenly at work.
Hachiko waited at the Shibuya train station for a friend that would never return. After trying unsuccessfully to rehouse the loyal Akita, Hachiko returned to the station, waiting for his master to return. In 1934, having grown famous for his loyalty and devotion, Hachiko was commemorated in a statue at the station. He continued to wait for Ueno until the day he died on March 8, 1935. Every April 8 a memorial service is held for the beloved Akita.
