The Hachiko Dog Monument was erected in Tokyo on April 21, 1934. It is considered a symbol of devotion and fidelity. The dog, in memory of which he erected a monument, was born on November 10, 1923 in Akita Prefecture, in Japan. By the way, the breed of this puppy is also called akita. The farmer presented the puppy to Professor Hidesaburo Ueno, who worked at the University of Tokyo. When Hachiko grew up, he always accompanied his beloved master. Every day the professor went to work in the city, and the faithful dog escorted him to the very entrance to the Shibuya station, and then met him at three in the afternoon.
In May 1925, the professor had a heart attack while he was at work. He never returned home and died, despite the best efforts of doctors. At that time, Hachiko was 18 months old. Then he did not wait for his master, but began to come to this station every day, waiting for him until late in the evening. He spent the night on the porch of the professor’s house. Friends and relatives of Hidesaburo Ueno, worried about the fate of a faithful friend, tried to take the dog to live at home, but she continued to come to the station day after day.
The fate of the faithful dog Hachiko
Local merchants and railway workers were delighted with Hachiko, a monument which is now revered by all the Japanese. They fed him. Japan learned about this dog in 1932, after an article was published in a popular Tokyo newspaper, "A faithful dog is waiting for the return of its owner, who died 7 years ago."
Residents of Japan were conquered by this story, and those interested in it began to come to Shibuya station in order to look at Hachiko, a monument to which was erected on April 21, 1934. A devoted friend came to the station for nine whole years, until his death. The dog died on March 8, 1935 from the filaria of the heart. He was found on the street, near the station. All about the death of the dog spread throughout the country, and mourning was declared. Hachiko's bones were buried next to the professor’s grave in Aoyama cemetery in Tokyo. And from his skin a scarecrow was made, which to this day is stored in the National Museum of Science.
During the Second World War, the monument was destroyed, putting metal for military needs. But at the end of the war he was restored. This happened in August 1948. The monument was restored by the son of the sculptor who created the first pedestal (at that time the sculptor himself had already died). A special committee has been formed to collect voluntary donations. Takeshi (the son of the sculptor) was not hard to recreate the sculpture. According to him, he remembers his father’s work and could fashion a monument by closing his eyes. But either the collected funds were not enough, or such were the requirements of the order, but the new pedestal was a little smaller.
Loyalty Symbol at Shibuya Station
Hachiko Monument in Tokyo today is a popular place where lovers meet. And the image of this dog in Japan is considered a symbol of selfless love and fidelity. In 1987, the film "The History of Hachiko" was shot, and in 2009 - a remake of it called "Hachiko: the most faithful friend"
Surely in every city there is such a traditional place for meetings. Hachiko dog (a monument in Japan) is just such a place. If you ask the Japanese, where they most often make appointments, then the answer will be unanimous - with Hachiko.
Shibuya Station Square in Tokyo
Shibuya is a large transport hub, in this place the lines of commuter trains, buses and the city metro converge. There are constant flows of people, a huge number of boutiques, restaurants and department stores. The square at the station is considered the most popular center for nightlife. Among this whole whirlpool, a low pedestal with a bronze image of a dog invariably attracts attention. On the pedestal are the words "Faithful dog Hachiko."
Hachiko - a monument to the faithful dog
The theme of a devoted dog was also actively used by entrepreneurs. A small shop was opened in Tokyu department store, built near the station, where souvenirs “from Hachiko” could be purchased. These were soft toy dogs or towels with a dog paw print. The store is popular because it is visited by all Japanese schoolchildren who come on vacation to the capital. The Hachiko Dog Monument in Shibuya is not the only one in Japan. There are two more sculptures at Odate Station in Akita Prefecture, where this dog comes from. One of them is completely identical to the one that stands on the Shibuya station square, and the second depicts Akita puppies and is called "Young Hachiko and his friends."
An example of devotion and fidelity
Where the Hachiko monument stands, all the Japanese know. The topic is very popular in the country and almost inexhaustible. Several books have been published in Japan describing the life of a dog. One of them was created in the form of a comic strip. In 2004, two books about Hachiko were published in the United States.
Of course, the faithfulness of a faithful dog deserves respect, but why did Hachiko become not just one example of dog attachment to humans, but practically a hero of the entire Japanese nation? There is an opinion that it is all about the time when the described events occurred. Japan was on the verge of a great war, and the authorities tried to show their subjects an example of diligence and dedication.
Fidelity to the owner has long been revered by the Japanese as the highest of noble traits. This is probably why Hachiko - a monument - and the story of a faithful dog are second only to the tragic stories of samurai in their popularity, who gladly gave their lives for the opportunity to take revenge on the offender of their owner. The press at that time expressed the opinion that the story of Hachiko was included in the school reader in order to foster the loyal feelings of the people of Japan to their emperor and government on the eve of the expected military operations. Thus, they sought to return the lost moral values of the nation, which were slightly blurred at that time under the influence of Western countries.
Whatever it was in reality, but since then the image of the faithful dog Hachiko has become for the Japanese an example of selfless love and fidelity. Therefore, one should not be surprised that many lovers of Tokyo choose the Hachiko monument for their meetings and dates.