was an Akita dog remembered for his strong dedication to his owner, Hidesaburà  Ueno, for whom he continued to wait for almost ten years following Ueno's death in 1925.
Hachikà  was born in mid-November 1923, on a farm near à Âdate, Akita Prefecture, Japan. In 1924, Hidesaburà  Ueno, a professor at the Tokyo Imperial University, brought him to live in Shibuya, Tokyo, as his pet. Hachikà  met Ueno at Shibuya Station every day after his commute home. This continued until May 21, 1925, when Ueno died of a cerebral aneurysm infarction while at work. From then until his death on March 8, 1935, Hachikà  returned to Shibuya Station almost every day to await Ueno's return.
After Ueno's death, Hachikà  was treated very poorly by most people at Shibuya Station. This did not deter him. After he became nationally known, his story of fidelity and loyalty grew and he came to be treated better. He also had significant health problems his entire life. After he became known internationally, his story led to Helen Keller bringing the first Akita to America. Since his death, he continues to be remembered worldwide in popular culture with statues, movies and books. Over time, Hachikà Â's story was widely circulated in Japanese media and came to be interpreted as a cultural symbol of loyalty and devotion, a framing that has shaped his legacy in Japan and abroad.
There has been much confusion and misinformation about the birth and naming of Hachikà Â. Hachikà Â, a creamy-white Akita, was born in mid-November 1923, at a farm located in à Âdate, Akita Prefecture, Japan. He was one of four purebred Akita puppies, all male, through his father ('à Âshinai mountain') and mother ('Sesame'). The suffix has no particular meaning but is used for purebred animals, art, airplanes, and trains. Claims that Hachikà  was not a purebred Akita have been discredited. Much of the confusion surrounding his birth stems from a fake birth certificate issued in 1934. This fake certificate lists his date of birth as November 20, as well as wrong parents. However, his birthday is often celebrated as November 10. Akita puppies were given to their new owners prior to them turning two months old. Since Hachikà  was shipped from à Âdate on January 14, 1924, it is likely he was born after November 14, 1923. Hachikà Â's true provenance was not proven until May 1975.
Various theories have been espoused for the origin of Hachikà Â's name. Some sources say the name Hachi (, 'eight') was chosen because Professor Hidesaburà  Ueno noticed Hachikà Â's forepaws resembled the shape of the kanji for eight when he stood up. Others say it was because Hachikà  was the eighth puppy in a litter of eight puppies. According to Professor Mayumi Itoh, the real reason the puppy was named Hachi has not been conclusively proven. Additional theories Itoh mentions are that at the time it was a popular name for dogs and that the name means 'good fortune'. Itoh offers this explanation as being more plausible:
Hachikà  is also known in Japanese as , with the suffix (å ¬) in the meaning of 'noble person, prince, duke, lord'; in this context, it was an affectionate addition to his name Hachi. The suffix seems to have become common after a 1932 article on Hachikà  appeared in The Asahi Shimbun.
Ueno was an agriculture professor at the Tokyo Imperial University and the pioneer of agricultural engineering in Japan. Contrary to what is often reported, Ueno did not pay ÃÂ¥30 for Hachikà Â. He was a gift from Chiyomatsu Mase, a former student of his. Mase was head of the Arable Land Cultivation Section in Akita Prefecture. Mase arranged for Reizà  Kurita, one of his employees, to find an Akita puppy for Ueno. Kurita moved to Akita Prefecture into the house right beside Hachikà Â's owners, Saità  Giichi and his wife Mura. Kurita became well acquainted with Mura and asked for a puppy for Ueno. Kurita and two companions walked the from the Saità  farm to the train station in a blizzard. Hachikà  was sent in a straw bag with cookies, which he did not eat, on a train journey to live with Ueno in Shibuya, Tokyo. The puppy left à Âdate on January 14, 1924, and arrived in Tokyo on January 15, 1924, at Ueno Station, not Shibuya Station as is often reported due to a fake postcard the Shibuya stationmaster made. The arrival at Ueno Station was not firmly proven until November 1979. These details of how Hachikà  came to be Ueno's pet were not known until May 1975 when Yà «kichi Muraoka, executive director of the Society for the Preservation of Akita-inu, found two letters from Kurita to Saiji Giichi, Saità  Giichi's son. Saità  Giichi and Mura are also the maternal grandparents of Yasushi Akashi, a former United Nations Under-Secretary-General, the only Japanese person to hold such a position.
Upon arrival in Tokyo, Hachikà  was at first thought to be dead, due to an exhausting bumpy train ride through mountains in the winter, but Ueno and his common law wife, Yaeko Sakano, were able to bring him back to health after six months. The exhausting train journey may have been the cause of Hachikà Â's chronic illnesses. Ueno doted on the dog, allowing Hachikà  to sleep indoors and under his Western-style bed, raising him with affectionate care. Hachikà  had digestive problems, causing diarrhea, for his whole life, so Ueno and Yaeko followed a strict dietary regimen for him. Ueno commuted daily to work and Hachikà  left the house to greet him at the end of the day at Shibuya Station. Locals and station staff soon became familiar with the pair and observed the dog's daily routine. The pair continued the daily routine until May 21, 1925, when Ueno did not return. Ueno had died of a cerebral aneurysm infarction while in the office of a colleague, Hiroaki Yoshikawa, not while giving a lecture nor in a faculty meeting, though he had been at a faculty meeting that morning.
That evening, Hachikà  went to Shibuya Station as usual, but Ueno never returned. Hachikà Â, not understanding that his owner had died, showed up as usual in the evening and waited for Ueno's arrival. When Ueno failed to come home, Hachikà  acted distressed and sniffed and paced around Ueno's empty house. On May 21, the day Ueno died, Yaeko wrapped Ueno's blood-stained shirt inside a futon and placed it in outdoor storage. The next day, May 22, Hachikà  went missing. A servant found him in the outdoor storage three days later, on May 24. Hachikà  had not eaten anything. Ueno's wake was held at his home on May 25 and Hachikà  stayed under Ueno's coffin. The next day, May 26, Hachikà  went back to Shibuya Station to wait for Ueno. Despite having been with Ueno only about 15 months, Hachikà  waited for Ueno, "commuting" almost daily for the next nine and half years, and eventually attracted the attention of others. Many people who visited the Shibuya train station saw Hachikà  daily. In the weeks that followed, Yaeko and colleagues made arrangements for the dog's care. Hachikà  was given to new caretakers numerous times, and sent to the countryside briefly, but repeatedly escaped or wandered back to the Shibuya area. There is little verified information about Hachikà  between 1925 and 1928 and much of that is contradictory.
Ueno's students were so loyal to him that they had built a vacation home for him and Yaeko. He had also adopted a daughter, Tsuruko. Tsuruko had married Yasushi Sakano and they had at least one child, a girl named Hisako, born in February 1924, nickname Chako-chan. Ueno's passing was financially devastating for Yaeko and Tsuruko. Ueno's students sold the vacation house since Yaeko could not inherit it since they were never legally married, and used the proceeds to build a house in Tsurumaki in Setagaya ward in Shibuya and support the surviving family. These events took about two years and resulting upheaval was also hard on Hachikà Â, which is why there is so little verified information on him during this time.
Ueno and Yaeko had two other dogs, an English Pointer named John and a black mix named Esu. Yaeko had to move out of their home in early July 1925, two months after Ueno's death. She could only take one dog to this rental home, Esu; apparently because she could not ask relatives to take care of him because he was aggressive. John and Hachikà  went to a relative, Watanabe, who ran a kimono shop in Tokyo, where they were kept tied up all day, except for one walk a day. This stay only lasted a couple weeks and Hachikà  went to Sada, Yaeko's elder sister, and her husband, Nenokichi Takahashi, in mid-July. Hachikà  never saw John again. Takahashi ran a business making barbershop chairs. They had a dog simply named "S", who got along well with Hachikà Â. This family lived in the Asakusa ward of Tokyo. While the Takahashi's took good medical and dietary care of Hachikà Â, they kept him tied up in the backyard all day to a barber chair and his diarrhea problems continued. According to The Tale of Loyal Dog Hachi-kà  (1934), by Kazutoshi Kishi, one day Hachikà  broke free of his nailed-down leash and got involved in a fight with others. Several spectators hit Hachikà  with tools and wanted to kill him, but Kà Âichirà  â son of the Takahashis â stopped them. According to Kishi, Hachikà  stayed with the Takahashis until the summer or early fall of 1927. Hachikà  then went to live with Yaeko in the house Ueno's student built for her in Setagaya. Here, he was allowed to roam free again, but he trampled farm fields and did not get along well with Esu. Much of Kishi's story is considered fiction and non-credible.
In the Anthology of Hachi-kà  Literature (1991), Masaharu Hayashi relates the story of Tomokichi Kobayashi, the younger brother of Ueno's gardener, Kikusaburà  Kobayashi, known as "Kiku-san". Tomokichi lived in Kikusaburà Â's house during this time. Tomokichi states Hachikà  only lived in Asakusa one month, but confirms he was tied to barber chair in the Takahashis' backyard. As it was clear Hachikà  was unhappy, Yaeko asked Kikusaburà  to take care of him. When Tomokichi went to pick up Hachikà  from the Takahashis in Asakusa, Hachikà  was elated and according to Tomokichi, Hachikà  knew he was going home to Shibuya. By this time, Hachikà  was so large no one could force him to move. Halfway back to Shibuya, Hachikà  was exhausted and famished so he sat down and would not move. Tomokichi found a restaurant and fed Hachikà Â, so they continued the journey to Shibuya. There is also a report by a local historian, Kichiji Watanabe, of Hachikà  being back in Shibuya near the Kobayashi residence April 1926, well before Yaeko's new home in Setagaya was completed. The Kobayashi home was near the Shibuya Station. Tomokichi also denies a story that Hachikà  broke free from the home in Asakusa and ran back to Ueno's former residence. In addition to being Ueno's gardener, Kikusaburà  was also his handyman and did chores and errands for him. Ueno was away convalescing when Hachikà  arrived in Tokyo. He had asked his adopted daughter, Tsuruko, to pick up Hachikà Â, but Kikusaburà  is the person who picked Hachikà  up at Ueno Station on January 15, 1924. He knew Hachikà  from his gardening work, had played with him, and his home was a mere 20-minute walk from Shibuya Station. In the summer of 1925, Yaeko made the hard decision to gift Hachikà  to Kikusaburà  as she knew he would be happy there. It is possible, but unproven, that Hachikà  lived with Yaeko one or more times during these moves. Tomokichi's report is considered credible.
Despite the disruptions of moving around and not always being well treated, as soon as Hachikà  moved in with the Kobayashis, he resumed traveling to Shibuya Station almost daily. Each day regardless of the weather conditions, he appeared in front of the station's ticket gates, appearing precisely at the same spot and time when the train was due to arrive. Kikusaburà  had a son, Sadao, who was born January 5, 1924, ten days before Hachikà  arrived in Tokyo, so they grew up together. In 1990, Hayashi also interviewed Sadao for his book Anthology of Hachi-kà  Literature. Sadao reported that his father was devoted to Hachikà  as a living memento of Ueno and treated him better than he treated his own children. Sadao also relates that Hachikà  was so big that people were often afraid of him and that Hachikà  was very afraid of the sound of guns, thunder, and lightning. Guns could be heard at their home from the nearby Yoyogi Military Exercise Field, which sent Hachikà  hiding in the children's room closet, which he also did when he heard lightning. If the sound of guns or lightning occurred when Hachikà  was not at home, he would run into anyone's home to hide. But Hachikà  loved snow. He would slide downhill in snow, using his head and neck to steer. Tomokichi remembered Hachikà  fondly and loved spending time with him. He also says Ueno fed Hachikà  raw meat, which may have caused Hachikà Â's dirofilariasis (heartworm). Tomokichi also denies the claims Ueno took Hachikà  to classes, as Ueno knew some people were afraid of dogs.
In the spring of 1929, Hachikà  developed a case of the mange so bad that he lost all his hair and almost died. The Kobayashi family refused to give up on him and Hachikà  eventually recovered. Prior to this Hachikà Â's left ear drooped slightly as a result of a dog fight. After this, his left ear drooped even more than it had before. By 1933, Hachikà  was getting old and the Kobayashis built a wooden bed with straw for him to stay in at Shibuya Station to help protect him from the winter cold. He kept "commuting" to the station until he started having trouble walking, which was about three months before he died. Afterwards, he would sometimes stay at Shibuya Station overnight. While they took excellent care of Hachikà Â, the Kobayashis felt he was usually sad, not acting quite the same as when Ueno was alive. In addition to being known for stopping dog fights, Hachikà  was known to be calm, gentle, composed, and dignified.
While the Kobayashi brothers adored Hachikà Â, they were busy with their work, so they let him roam free. He went to Shibuya Station every morning around 9am and return between 5âÂÂ6pm. Thus began Hachikà Â's solo routine.
Some vendors near Shibuya Station are known to have fed Hachikà  and been kind to him. However, initially most people were not so friendly. Hachikà Â, seen as a stray and nuisance because he was always alone, was mistreated by most station workers, vendors, passengers, and children by acts such as being kicked, hit, pushed, having marks put on his face, and vendors pouring water on his face. Because he was usually considered a stray and his collars were often stolen, Hachikà  was caught by dog catchers several times. Fortunately, one of the policemen knew him and would return him to the Kobayashi family. In either 1931 or 1932, a policeman was chasing a thief through the station but the policeman lost the thief in the crowd. Hachikà  found the thief in the crowd and the policeman arrested him. Afterwards, some people at the station started treating Hachikà  better, but the abuse did not fully stop. In January 1934, a group of fourth-grade girls from the nearby Uguisudani Elementary School wrote a letter to Stationmaster Tadaichi Yoshikawa in which they donated money for Hachikà Â's statue and reported that they had recently seen a slightly older boy kick and step on Hachikà  and a station employee pour water on him in the winter. Despite this abuse, Hachikà  kept coming almost every day. He normally walked with his head down and looked as if he was in mourning.
Hirokichi Saità  was a descendant of samurai and trained in fine art. He founded the Society for the Preservation of Japanese Dogs in May 1928 and studied Akitas and other breeds native to Japan. In July 1928, he saw Hachikà  in front of a tea shop and tried to catch him, offering rice crackers, but Hachikà  kept running off. Eventually, Hachikà  ran into Kikuzaburà Â's house and Saità  learned about Hachikà Â's life. Saità  then realized he had seen Hachikà  twice before when he was horseback riding while a student, in 1924 and 1925. A month later, in August 1928, Saità  published his first issue of the Registry of Japanese Dogs, which includes the first written record of Hachikà Â:
Saità  also wrote:
Saità Â's research found only thirty purebred Akitas in all of Japan, including Hachikà Â. He returned to visit Hachikà  several times and over the years he published many articles about Hachikà Â's steadfast loyalty. Saità  wrote a biography of Hachikà  in September 1932, in ('Japanese Dogs'), the newsletter of the Society for the Preservation of Japanese Dogs, reporting his description as: "going on 9, as: Name:àHachi-gà Â; Coat color:àlight yellow; Height: 64.5 centimeters (about 2 feet and 2 inches) from the ground to the shoulder; Weight:àabout 11 (41.3 kilograms or 91 pounds); and Tail: curled-up counter clockwise."
The first appearance of an article about Hachikà  in , on October 4, 1932, made him famous nationwide by highlighting his loyalty and mistreatment. Saità  had submitted the article but was not informed it was going to be printed. Its title was ('Tale of a Poor Old Dog:àPatiently Waiting for Seven Years for the Dead Owner'). The journalist who wrote the article did not consult with Saità  and it is full of factual errors. Saità  got the newspaper to print a correction under the title ('Hachi-kà  is a Fine [Pedigree] Dog') that ran on November 5, 1932. The original was written by a journalist who worked for a national news agency and it ran all over Japan and unexpectedly made Hachikà  famous. People started to bring Hachikà  food while he waited. Teachers and parents used Hachikà  as an example for children to follow. Teru Andà  built a sculpture of the dog. All over Japan a keener awareness of the Akita breed grew. Hachikà Â's faithfulness also became a national symbol of loyalty.
On November 6, 1932, Hachikà  was one of only two dogs invited as guests to the first Japanese Dog Show in Ginza-Matsuya, a large Tokyo department store. Hachikà  refused to get in the taxi for Kikusaburà  to ride to the show until Yaeko came. Hachikà  was very composed and popular at the show. Many people came just to see him. Shinpa theater actor Masao Inoue became a fan of Hachikà  and fed him.
In June 1933, sculptor Teru Andà  visited Saità  to confer about making a plaster statue of Hachikà Â. Andà  was on the sculpture jury of the Imperial Fine Arts Academy. Andà  and Saità  had known each other at the Tokyo School of Fine Arts (currently Tokyo University of the Arts). Andà  felt Hachikà  had a special aura and was mesmerized by him. Andà  decided to make the statue accurate, with the left ear drooping, rather than as an idealized Akita, which caused some backlash. The statue was well received at the exhibition.
As Hachikà Â's fame grew, so did the number of people coming to see him at the station. Consequently, on September 9, 1933, Stationmaster Yoshikawa hired a man named Satà  (surname, given name not known) to take care of Hachikà Â. Saità  had checked Hachikà Â's ID tag but no one at the station bothered to until November 17, 1933, when Stationmaster Yoshikawa had Satà  to do so.àSatà  found the ID tag No. Yo-125 on his collar. "Yo" indicates the Yoyogi police station. Despite not having shown interest in Hachikà  before, such as not checking his ID tag, Yoshikawa started faking documents to capitalize on his fame. Satà  kept a six-volume journal about Hachikà  titled ('Record of Loyal Dog Hachi-kà Â'), consisting of two three-volume sets. The first covers the time up to his death and is titled ('Ascent to Heaven').àThe second set, titled ('Bronze Statue') covers the making of his statue. The Shibuya Station building burned during a World War II air raid on May 25, 1945. Satà Â's journal survived the many wartime Tokyo air raids and is kept at the Society for the Maintenance of the Hachi-kà  Bronze Statue, in the Japan Railways Group (JR) East Japan Shibuya stationmaster's office. Hachikà  attended two more Japanese Dog Shows on November 3, 1933, and in September 1934. Both shows went well for him, but by this time he was old and very tired. On November 21, 1933, Hachikà  was made a member of the Pochi Club, an international dog welfare organization and given their badge. Hachikà  appeared on the Japanese Ministry of Posts and Telecommunications's New Year's postcard for 1934, Year of the Dog. The card was designed by Seiho à Âuchi.
By November 1933, having turned age 10, Hachikà Â's age and medical conditions were taking a serious toll on him. By this time he had dirofilariasis (parasitic infection), which is caused by dirofilaria immitis (heartworm), and ascites (fluid accumulation in the peritoneal cavity), a complication of dirofilariasis. Saità  was concerned that Hachi might not make it through this winter. Hachikà  became very ill on February 6, 1934, but recovered on February 17. On February 18, the film star Yoshiko Kawada visited him at Shibuya Station. A photo was taken of just her in a kimono and Hachikà  in which she is often mistaken for Yaeko, but there is no known photo of Yaeko and just Hachikà Â. At this time Stationmaster Yoshikawa played another trick on Hachikà  by tying a red shipping tag that said "Handle with care" on him. The Shibuya stationmaster also tried to have his name engraved on the base of the statue's pedestal. In early March 1935, Hachikà  became extremely ill. He began vomiting, stopped eating, and his abdomen was very swollen with the ascites.
Hachikà  died on March 8, 1935, at the age of 11, having been found around 6am, his body still warm. He was found at an alley entrance just north of the Takizawa Liquor Store at 41, 3-chà Âme, Nakadà Âri, Shibuya ward. This is near the Inari Bridge in Shibuya. He was found at the alley entrance by Haruno Takizawa, wife of Seiji Takizawa, the owner of the liquor store. Haruno found Hachikà Â's body at the wooden gate to their house, which is at the alley entrance. She stroked him and called his name. Hachikà  was found with his head towards the east, in the direction of Aoyama Cemetery, where Ueno rests. Around 11pm the night before he died, Hachikà  visited every store in front of Shibuya Station. Around midnight he visited every room at the station. Haruno's son, Ryà Âichi, eventually took over the liquor store. He states Hachikà  used to come to the store often and they would feed him. All these last night visits may mean Hachikà  was saying goodbye to people and places he knew well. Haruno had one of her employees, Denzà  Nishimura, run to report the death. The station sent two employees with a rickshaw to collect Hachikà Â's body. Newspapers all over Japan reported the death. It was also reported around the world, including Los Angeles, Paris, and Budapest. Countless people were sad and upset, especially the Kobayashi's and Yaeko. It is the only time in Japanese history there has been nationwide mourning for an animal.
After his death, Hachikà Â's remains were taken to the Veterinary Medicine Laboratory of the Komaba Agriculture College, College of Agriculture of the Imperial University of Tokyo, for a necropsy. He was then cremated and the ashes of his internal organs were buried in Aoyama Cemetery, Minato, Tokyo where they rest beside Professor Ueno. Hachikà Â's pelt was preserved after his death, and his taxidermy is on display at the National Science Museum of Japan in Ueno, Tokyo.
On March 9, 1935, at 8am a memorial service was held at Hachikà Â's bronze statue. There were many people, flowers, various offerings, and Buddhist priests. At this memorial service, Kurita realized the puppy he had sent from à Âdate was Hachikà  when a colleague said, "Hachi-kà  originally came from à Âdate around January 11, 1924, and was raised by our former teacher Ueno Hidesaburà Â." However, he kept this quiet until 1957. Hachikà Â's funeral was held on March 12, at 2pm, at Ueno's grave in Aoyama Cemetery, with Hachikà Â's son Kuma-kà —who was about 4 years old at the time, 16 monks, flowers and condolence money. About 10,000 people visited Hachikà Â's statue from March 8âÂÂ12. The March 12 funeral at Aoyama Cemetery had about 60 people attend.
Two necropsies were performed on Hachikà Â. The first began at 3pm on the day he died. It determined that Hachikà  died of dirofilariasis (heartworm) and old age. It also found that he had dirofilaria immitis, ascites and liver fibrosis. There were also four skewers in Hachikà Â's stomach, but the skewers neither damaged his stomach nor caused death. The veterinarians preserved his heart, lungs, liver, spleen, and esophagus in glass jars. These are on public display at the Yayoi campus of the Museum of the Faculty of Agriculture of the University of Tokyo. Some of his intestines were placed in his grave beside Ueno. Despite no damage being found to his stomach, some people insist he died from eating yakitori skewers. Other evidence is that the yakitori vendors only came in the evening and Hachikà  went there in the morning and he went on bad weather days when the vendors did not come to Shibuya Station. The yakitori debate was going on at least until the 1980s.
In December 2010 a second necropsy began, also at the Yayoi campus. Its results, using all modern technologies, were released in March 2011. Scientists finally settled the cause of Hachikà Â's death; his causes of death were both terminal carcinosarcoma (cancer) and dirofilaria immitis. They also found microfilariasis (baby roundworms). These conditions were centered around his heart and lungs. They also confirmed yakitori skewers had not damaged him. Each year on March 8, Hachikà  is honored with a ceremony of remembrance at Shibuya Station. In 1934 the story of Hachikà  was accepted for use in a textbook for second-graders in the upcoming April 1935 school year to teach morals, kindness, and gratitude. Hachikà  is still revered in Japan and his story is taught to children to teach unwavering loyalty, perseverance, and faithfulness.
Hachikà Â's grave can be difficult to find. More people visit it than any other grave in Aoyama cemetery. Every day there are offerings of flowers, food, and coins; especially on March 8. The directions are:
Yaeko died on April 30, 1961. She had requested to be buried next to Ueno. The head of the Ueno family refused as she and Ueno were never married. After 55 years of negotiations and cutting through red tape, part of her remains were allowed to be buried next to Ueno and Hachikà Â, at the Shirakawa-stone lantern at the grave site in Aoyama Cemetery. This ceremony occurred on May 19, 2016, with both Ueno and Sakano families present. Yaeko's name and the date of her death were inscribed on the side of his tombstone, thus fulfilling the reunion of Hachikà Â's family. "By putting the names of both on their grave, we can show future generations the fact that Hachikà  had two keepers." Shiozawa said. "To Hachikà  the professor was his father, and Yaeko was his mother," Matsui added.
Saità  kept Hachikà Â's bones and skull in his study. However, they were burned during the Tokyo Air Raid of May 25, 1945, along with his house. The surviving remains of Hachikà  are in four places: 1) some of his intestines at the Aoyama Cemetery with Ueno and Yaeko, 2) heart and lungs, liver and spleen, and esophagus at the Yayoi campus, 3) the mount of his pelt at the National Museum of Nature and Science, Ueno Park, Taità  ward, Tokyo, and 4) "the Soul of the Loyal Dog Hachi-kà Â," urn at Jindai Temple, Chà Âfu, Tokyo. In the 1960s some of the intestine remains of Hachikà  from the Aoyama Cemetery were moved to this Jindai Temple. Just like with the making of Hachikà Â's bronze statue, there was a controversy in making his mounted pelt. The statue was made with his droopy ear, but his mount was made with both ears erect. The taxidemists wanted to do their best work ever, so it took 3 months to make the mount.
Hachikà Â's story gained national prominence in Japan during the early 1930s, several years after the death of his owner, Hidesaburà  Ueno. Contemporary Japanese newspapers played a central role in shaping Hachikà Â's public image by emphasizing the dog's continued presence at Shibuya Station and framing his behavior as an example of loyalty and devotion.
Hachikà Â's popularization coincided with a broader trend in prewar Japan toward moral education that stressed virtues such as loyalty, perseverance, and self-sacrifice. Within this context, Hachikà  was increasingly portrayed not merely as an individual animal but as a symbolic figure whose behavior was used to convey social and ethical ideals to the public, particularly to schoolchildren.
The erection of a bronze statue of Hachikà  outside Shibuya Station in 1934 further institutionalized this symbolic role. Public ceremonies surrounding the statue and subsequent media coverage reinforced a simplified narrative of unwavering loyalty, while omitting more complex aspects of the dog's life, such as the involvement of local residents and station workers who cared for him during his later years.
Following World War II, Hachikà Â's image was reinterpreted in a less overtly nationalistic manner, becoming instead a widely shared symbol of personal devotion and emotional attachment. This postwar reframing contributed to the dog's enduring popularity in literature, film, and international media, where the story is often presented as a universal tale of loyalty rather than a product of a specific historical moment in Japan.
The story of Hachikà  has captivated innumerable people worldwide. Countless visitors, Japanese and foreigners, visit his statue in Shibuya each year. A Japanese entertainment company began "Day of the Idol Dog" in 2009, honoring a dog every November 11. Its first honoree was Hachikà Â. In July 2012, photos from Hachikà Â's life were shown at the Shibuya Folk and Literary Shirane Memorial Museum in Shibuya as part of the (or Exhibition of newly stored materials). Many Hachikà Â-themed goods are sold, including: clear folders, tote bags, holders, note books, candies, cookies, kasutera (sponge cakes), green tea, rice crackers, pancakes, chocolates, and sauce.àHachi-kà  sauce is a long-time seller manufactured by none other than the Hachiko Sauce Company.àHachikà  sauce is still being made as of 2025 is considered one of the best âÂÂWorcestershireâ sauces in Japan. It has three different flavors (original, semi-thick, and fruit).
Every year on April 8, since 1984, the Society for the Preservation of the Loyal Dog Hachi-kà  Bronze Statue holds a Hachikà  Festival at Shibuya Station. It is held on April 8 instead of May 8 as that combines Hachikà Â's death date with Buddha's birthday, which is called the Flower Festival.
At the same time Teru Andà Â, who had made the plaster statue, was planning a bronze statue, a senior hired a sculptor, à Âuchi, who had designed the New Year's postcard, to create a wooden statue of Hachikà Â. The senior claimed Ueno's family had endorsed him handling all of Hachikà Â's commissions, but this was a blatant fabrication. The senior made woodblock-print postcards and had Stationmaster Yoshikawa sign them. Andà  was very concerned with this fraud and asked Saità  to begin a bronze statue. Saità  was opposed to this as he felt that should only be done after Hachikà  died. Saità  tried to get the senior to cancel the wood block project and join in with Andà Â, but the senior refused to help or commit money he had earned. This senior also hired à Âuchi to make a miniature statue. Reluctantly, Saità  agreed to the bronze project of Andà Â. Saità  never took advantage of Hachikà  nor did he enjoy being in the spotlight. Saità  and Andà  began the Fund to Create the Hachi-kà  Bronze Statue on January 1, 1934, with large nationwide support, including academics, professionals, and schoolchildren. Funds were even sent from Korea, which was a Japanese colony at that time, as well as China, Taiwan, and America. One of the fundraisers attracted about 3,000 people. There was debate among the fund members about both the pose of Hachikà  and where the statue should be located. Some wanted him sitting down with his droopy ear and others preferred standing with traditional Akita looks. Some wanted it under the eaves of Shibuya Station, which the station controlled, and others wanted it just outside the station, which Tokyo City controlled. The sitting realistic pose was chosen, partly because Andà  could not make the standing pose to his satisfaction and the statue was placed just under the station's eaves. The bronze statue was unveiled at 1pm on April 21, 1934, at the station to much fanfare, with the area in front of the station packed with people very tightly. The unveiling occurred in the freight parking area, not the statue's eventual location in the station's front, because of lack of space in the front. Saità  led the ceremony and Hachikà  was there. Ueno's granddaughter, Hisako, then 10, actually cut the ribbon to unveil the statue, which she and Saità  barely got to because of the dense crowds. From the time of the unveiling of the bronze statue in April 1934 until long after Hachikà  died, many people falsely claimed to have dogs sired by him, even though only one descendant of his, a son, is known, Kuma-kà Â, who was owned by Yoshitarà  Ità Â. Ità  had a Fox Terrier named Debbie, who was Kuma-kà Â's mother. Debbie died and Hachikà  apparently stayed monogamous after that.
In 1933 Andà  began making about ten 6-inch high statues of Hachikà  in a lying down posture. He kept one himself, one to Empress Dowager Sadako, one to Emperor Hirohito, and one to Empress Nagako. The rest went to his friends. The one he kept himself had its front legs partially melted in the large Tokyo air raid fires of May 25, 1945, but it was recovered. Andà  and his daughter both perished in this fire.
Shortly after the Marco Polo Bridge incident on July 7, 1937, the Japanese government began expansion and militarization its economy, people, and material for war. This incident is considered the start of the Second Sino-Japanese War and became part of the Pacific War, which was part of World War II. The government would requisition material for the war effort, put children as young as middle-schoolers into the work force, and censored the media. By 1943 the situation for metals was so desperate that items like zoo guard rails and memorial plaques for animals were being requisitioned. If need be animals would be euthanized so that their cage metal could be used. Dogs were euthanized as they required food. Only German Shepherds were exempt because they were military dogs. Akitas were the first targets because they ate lots of food and their fur could be used for coats. At the end of World War II only 15-16 purebred Akitas were alive in Japan. If you refused to donate your pet, you were treated as a traitor. Some people were even arrested and tortured for not cooperating with the war effort. As the 1944 recycling drive began, Hachikà Â's statue at Shibuya Station became a target. Saità  says people put a white sash on it and wrote âÂÂConscript itâ on the sash. At the end of 1944 the Railways Bureau informed Saità  that they were going to melt down the statue. Saità  got Transportation Vice Minister to agree to put the statue in storage. The statue was taken down on October 12, 1944, amid an emotional farewell ceremony. Per the agreement, it was supposed to stay in storage. The Railways Bureau went back on the storage agreement and donated it to the war effort. Many were saddened and considered this the "Second Death" of Hachikà Â. It was eventually melted down on August 14, 1945, in Hamamatsu, one day before Emperor Hirohito announced surrender, ending World War II. The statue became parts for locomotive machinery, not bullets as is sometimes reported. Saità  was not aware of this until late 1947 because he had evacuated Tokyo for Kyoto during the war and stayed there a couple years after the war. The Japan National Tourist Organization asked him about the statue because a lot of people wanted to see it, including Americans. Saità  told them the statue was safe. In late 1947 Takeshi Andà Â, son of Teru, sent Saità  a letter that made him very grief-stricken because it informed Saità  that during the war Teru and his daughter died in the May 25, 1945 air raid, the air raid burned down his house and art works, Takeshi himself had been drafted and had served on the front lines, the plaster statue had burned in the same air raid, and that Takeshi needed Saità Â's help in making a second Hachikà  statue.
Materials and money were in short supply in post-war Japan. Despite this, in late 1947 the Committee to Recreate the Hachi-kà  Bronze Statue was created to build a second statue. The Japan National Tourist Organization was also influential in these efforts. The officials of the Supreme Commander Allied Powers (SCAP) initially resisted these efforts because they saw Hachikà Â's loyalty as promoting devotion to imperialism. Eventually they realized Hachikà  had nothing to do with that. Despite the economic hardships of the post-war era, many common people donated money for the second statue, as well as many influential people. Many Americans had heard about the fate of the first statue and donated money. Takeshi Andà  began working on the new statue even though at the beginning there was not enough metal. In addition, he had no real-life model and had to rely on photographs and Saità Â's measurements. Years later, Takeshi admitted he had melted down one of his father's master works that had been damaged in the war to make the second statue. The original statue's pedestal had survived the war so they used that for the new statue. Two bronze plaques describing Hachikà Â's provenance, one in English and one in Japanese, were attached to the pedestal.
On August 15, 1948, third anniversary of Hirohito's surrender announcement, Takeshi Andà Â, unveiled a second statue. Children representing England, Japan, Korea, Taiwan, and the United States were there. The new statue still stands and is a popular meeting spot. The Shibuya Station entrance near this statue is named Hachikà Â-guchi, meaning "The Hachikà  Entrance/Exit", at the southeast part of the station, is one of Shibuya Station's five exits. The precise spot where Hachikà  waited is now marked with bronze paw prints. Although Hachikà  is highly revered in Japan and around the world, there are people who still disrespect him. The Shibuya statue is near a late-night party area and some people, generally young adult females, climb on top of the statue and "perform acts that attract public attention". This second statue has been moved at about ten times due to construction projects, but also stays at the station. In 1984 the bronze statue of Hachikõ was reunited with Ueno when the Faculty of Agriculture of the University of Tokyo realized the bronze bust they had was that of Ueno and he had been Hachikà Â's owner, so they sent it to Shibuya Station. Saità  founded the Japan Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (JSPCA) in May 1948 and served as one of its leaders until he died on September 19, 1964. Takeshi died on January 13, 2019, at age 95. The front legs and muzzle of this statue are now shiny because so many people have touched it. Takeshi is happy about this as it show many people truly care about Hachikà Â.
Another statue is in Hachikà Â's hometown, in front of à Âdate Station; it was unveiled at à Âdate Train Station on July 8, 1935. This statue was also melted down during the 1945 recycling efforts. Fund raising for a new one began in 1962 and it was unveiled in May 1964 in front of à Âdate Station. It depicts Hachikà  standing, a female laying down, and three puppies and is called "Group Statues of Akita-inu". On November 14, 1987, a solo statue of Hachikà  standing was erected, just several meters from the group statue. A stone statue of Hachikà  and stone steles were erected at the Saità  family residence, his birthplace, in à Âdate in 2003. The steles describe his provenance. In 2004, a new statue of Hachikà  was erected in front of the Akita-inu Hall in à Âdate.
After the release of the American movie ' (2009), which was filmed in Woonsocket, Rhode Island, the Japanese Consulate in the United States helped the Blackstone Valley Tourism Council and the city of Woonsocket to reveal a statue of Hachikà  identical to the one at Shibuya Station at the Woonsocket Depot Square, which was the location of the "Bedridge" train station featured in the movie. This statue in Woonsocket was bronze and was bought on eBay. It is smaller than the one in Shibuya and its creation was not authorized. Andà  had approved of Woonsocket getting a statue, but he was unaware a look-alike unapproved replica ending up being bought. An Akita-mix named Hachi stood in for Hachikà  at the dedication ceremony.
On March 9, 2015, the Faculty of Agriculture of the University of Tokyo, Ueno's alma mater and workplace where he commuted every workday during his time with Hachikà Â, made a bronze statue depicting Ueno returning to meet Hachikà  to commemorate the 80th anniversary of Hachikà Â's death. The statue was sculpted by Tsutomu Ueda from Nagoya and depicts an excited Hachikà  jumping up to greet his master at the end of a workday. Ueno is dressed in a hat, suit, and trench coat, with his briefcase placed on the ground. Hachikà  wears a studded harness as seen in his last photos. In a ceremony attended by the Japanese Ambassador in October 2016, a bronze statue of Hachiko and Dr. Ueno, identical to the one on the Yayoi Campus of the University of Tokyo, was installed in Abbey Glen Pet Memorial Park in Lafayette Township, New Jersey, USA.
On November 10, 2012, Google commemorated what would have been Hachikà Â's 89th birthday by uploading a Google Doodle that depicts the famous dog waiting by the Shibuya Station railway and holding Ueno's hat in his mouth. On November 10, 2023, the Japanese people commemorated what would have been Hachikà Â's 100th birthday. Events included visits to the Shibuya Station, songs, and dances. A holographic display of Hachikà  was installed at the Akita Dog Visitor Center in Odate, Akita Prefecture, greeting guests who came by to celebrate his birth.
Hachikà  was the subject of the 1987 film directed by Seijirà  Kà Âyama, which told the story of his life from his birth up until his death and had spiritual reunion with his master. Considered a blockbuster success, the film was the last big hit for Japanese film studio Shochiku Kinema Kenkyà «-jo. This was the highest-grossing film in Japan in 1987 and received the Yamaji Fumiko Film Award. Another film based on Hachikà  is the 2015 Telugu film, Tommy.
"Jurassic Bark" (2002), episode 7 of season 4 of the animated series Futurama has an extended homage to Hachikà Â, with Fry discovering the fossilized remains of his dog, Seymour. After Fry was frozen, Seymour is shown to have waited for Fry to return for 12 years outside Panucci's Pizza, where Fry worked, never disobeying his master's last command to wait for him.
Hachikà  is also the subject of a children's book/short novel for readers of all ages called Hachiko Waits, written by Lesléa Newman and illustrated by Machiyo Kodaira, was published by Henry Holt & Co. in 2004.
In the Japanese manga One Piece, there is a similar story with a dog named ChouChou.
In the video game: The World Ends with You (2007), the Hachikà  statue is featured, it's referenced on several occasions. The location of Shibuya statue plays a role in the narrative of the game. The statue is featured again in the sequel: ' (2021).
Producer Vicki Shigekuni Wong saw the Hachikà  statue while visiting Shibuya in the 1980s and was so moved by his life that after returning to the United States, she adopted a Shiba Inu dog and named it Hachi. When her beloved dog, Hachikà Â, died at the age of 16, she decided to make a film about Hachiko, a symbol of the strong bond between dogs and humans. The resulting film, ' (released August 2009), is an American movie starring actor Richard Gere, directed by Lasse Hallström, about Hachikà  and his relationship with an American professor and his family following the same story, but different. For example, Hachikà  was a gift to professor Ueno, this part is entirely different in the American version. The movie was filmed in Woonsocket, Rhode Island, primarily in and around the Woonsocket Depot Square area and also featured Joan Allen and Jason Alexander. The role of Hachi was played by three Akitas: Leyla, Chico, and Forrest. Mark Harden describes how he and his team trained the three dogs in the book: "Animal Stars: Behind the Scenes with Your Favorite Animal Actors." After the movie was completed, Harden adopted Chico.
Hachikà  himself made at least two media appearances in 1934, the zenith of his notoriety after the statue unveiling. In 1994, Nippon Cultural Broadcasting in Japan was able to restore a recording of Hachikà  barking, Junjà  bidan Hachi-kà  (Heartwarming Story of Hachi-kà Â), from an old 78 RPM record by Kikusui Records that had been broken into several pieces. The pieces were melded together using a laser. A huge advertising campaign ensued and on Saturday, May 28, 1994; 59 years after his death, millions of radio listeners tuned in to hear Hachikà Â's bark. It is reported to sound like the "feeble howling of an old wolf", akin to "Wohw.àWohw. Wohw." In December 1934 Hachikà  made a cameo in a movie Arupusu taishà  (King of the [Japan] Alps). In one scene a man is telling an audience about the information on Hachikà Â's bronze statue plaque. A boy is uninterested and the man asks him why. The boy, stroking Hachikà Â's neck, says âÂÂYou come here, Mister. This is the real Hachi-kà Â.àThe Hachi-kà  Bronze Statue isnâÂÂt interesting.àBe kind to the real Hachi, instead.âÂÂ
, often referred as Yaeko Ueno, was the unmarried partner of Hidesaburà  Ueno for almost 10 years until his death in 1925. Being unmarried, she could not inherit Ueno's assets. Hachikà  was reported to have shown great happiness and affection towards her whenever she came to visit him. Tomokichi Kobayashi, with whom Hachikà  lived for many years, reported that Hachikà  only jumped for joy upon seeing Yaeko and Ueno. She was also the person that could get him into a taxi. Yaeko stated no other dog understood people the way Hachikà  did and that he was truly gentle. Yaeko died on April 30, 1961, at the age of 76 and was buried at a temple in Taità Â, further away from Ueno's grave, despite her requests to her family members to be buried with her partner. In 2013, Yaeko's documents, indicating that she wanted to be buried with Ueno, were found by Sho Shiozawa, who is a professor of the University of Tokyo. Shiozawa was also the president of the Japanese Society of Irrigation, Drainage, and Rural Engineering, which manages Ueno's grave at Aoyama Cemetery. On November 10, 2013, which marked the 90th anniversary of the birth of Hachikà Â, Sho Shiozawa and Keita Matsui, a curator of the , felt the need of Yaeko to be buried together with Ueno and Hachikà Â. The process began with willing consent from the Ueno and Sakano families and the successful negotiations with management of the Aoyama Cemetery. However, due to regulations and bureaucracy, the process took about 2 years. Shiozawa also went on as one of the organizers involved with the erection of bronze statue of Hachikà  and Ueno which was unveiled on the grounds of the University of Tokyo on March 9, 2015, to commemorate the 80th anniversary of Hachikà Â's death.
Hidesaburà  and Yaeko were long reported as not having any children, except for one mention in Yaeko's own written records on Hachikà Â. She writes "Hachi was a gentle dog.àWhen he was just one year old, our son was born. Hachi was also gentle with our baby.àI often found Hachi in the babyâÂÂs room and sleeping with our son.àHachi was so affectionate with our son that I sometimes tucked them into bed together.àThis made Hachi very happy." and Professor Itoh writes "That her son was born when Hachi was one year old has never been mentioned in any document, to the knowledge of this author." Kazuto Ueno, of the Society for the Preservation of the Bronze Statues of Dr. Ueno Hidesaburà  and Hachi-kà Â, is the possible grandson of Hidesaburà Â. He was introduced as such at a paired statue dedication of and Ueno in Hisai, Mie in 2012. He was also present at the first âÂÂBest Idol Dogâ presentation in 2009. He grew up in Ueno Hidesaburà Â's home prefecture, Mie Prefecture. There is no death record of a son of Hidesaburà  and Yaeko dying young. He is the son of their once-mentioned son, Jin Ueno. It is possible that the Ueno family took this child away because he was illegitimate to give him legal protections, which was a common practice during that time. Jin grew up in Hisai, and was a "nephew" of Hidesaburà Â, though Hidesaburà  and Yaeko were not allowed to see him. Jin became the mayor of Hisai and a member of the Mie Prefecture Assembly. Jin was also the legal custodian of Hidesaburà Â's grave in Aoyama Cemetery. But Kazuto was born in 1937. Yaeko could have mistaken Hisako's birth in February 1924 with an earlier birth of her son. Jin was born July 31, 1912, and is old enough to be Kazuto's father. There is a 1999 TV documentary about Hachikà  in which Kazuto made an appearance as Dr. Ueno's grandson.àThe documentary showed a family genealogy of the Ueno family in which Jin is Hidesaburà Â's sole son and Kazuto as Jin's eldest son. In this documentary Kazuto stated: âÂÂSomeone once told me that my grandfather had raised his dogs as if they had their own dignity, just as human beings have a dignity.â This proves Hidesaburà  and Yaeko did have a son, Jin, and he is the father of Kazuto.
Helen Keller visited Akita Prefecture in June 1937 and knew of and asked about Hachikà Â. She began keeping Akita's as pets and introduced them to America. She intended to visit Korea, China, and the Hachikà  statue in Shibuya, but her visit was cut short by the Marco Polo Bridge Incident. So was not able to "meet" Hachikà  on that trip. Her first Akita, Kamikaze-Go (âÂÂdivine windâÂÂ), whom she called Kami for short, was taken to meet her in Tokyo when she had to sail back to America. The first Akita given to her was Kamikaze-Go, who was the first Akita to travel overseas from Japan and the first Akita in America. He died of an distemper two months after arriving in America on November 18, 1937, and Keller was given Kamikaze-Gos brother in June 1, 1939 in Tokyo, Kenzan-Go (âÂÂsteep mountainâÂÂ), Go-go for short. Japan-US relations were in serious decline by then and there concern on both sides as to whether "G-go" would make it to America safely. Keller and Go-Go were great companions from day one. Go-Go even spent his first night at Keller's home sleeping at the foot of her bed. Go-go died in 1944 or 1945. After the end of World War II, many Americans brought many more Akitas, who were actually Shepherd-Akita mixes, back to America. These dogs became known as the American Akitas. On August 30, 1948, she touched the re-made statue of Hachikà  at Shibuya Station, just 15 days after it was unveiled.
Stevie Wonder had his younger brother travel to Akita Prefecture in 2000 to find him an Akita puppy. He had an Akita when he was young and insisted on getting a Japanese Akita this time as he felt they were the real Akitas.
In 2003, in Shibuya ward, a minibus (officially called "Shibuya-ward Community Bus") started routes in the ward, nicknamed . The buses are different colors (red, orange, blue) to denote which of the three routes they run. The buses are short and narrow to aid in navigating Shibuya's congestion. People can hear the theme song , the "Hachikà  Bus Song", in this bus. The song service began in July 2006.The Shibuya-ward school district adopted the song and elementary schools in the area play it during lunch time.