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The Dog Who Waited For His Dead Owner At The Same Train Station Every Day For A Decade
In Japan during the 1920s and 1930s, a remarkable dog became famous across the country for his persistent loyalty
Dogs are the epitome of loyalty. Man’s best friend has lived up to its moniker time after time throughout history. Perhaps no instance personifies that better than Hachiko, a purebred Akita who had a tight bond with his owner, walking to work with him every day. When the man died suddenly, the dog spent the better part of the next ten years returning every day to the same spot he used to part ways with his owner in the hopes they might be reunited.
Hachiko was born on a farm in Japan in late 1923. He was obtained by Hidesaburo Ueno, an agriculture professor for the Tokyo Imperial University, in 1924. Living in Tokyo, the pair bonded quickly. A favorite routine for the dog was walking daily with his master to the Shibuya train station to see him off to work. The dog, which was allowed to roam freely, was always waiting for the academic when he got off the train at the end of the day.
Sadly, the professor passed away unexpectedly at work in 1925 from a brain hemorrhage in the midst of teaching a class. Accordingly, he did not depart that day’s train to meet Hachiko. The dog, obviously not understanding or knowing what happened, continued to show up at the station every day at the same time.
Even though the dog transitioned to a new home in Tokyo after the professor’s passing, there was no keeping him from trying to find his former companion. Even when he was kept in, he’d find ways to escape, and inevitably ended up back at the train station.
Initially railway employees viewed the dog as an annoyance. With the hustle and bustle of passengers, and the nonstop flow of trains, any distraction was unwelcome. However, as more people came to learn of Hachiko’s story and why he kept appearing, the feeling of consensus turned to affection and pity. He was showered with treats and attention.
Unbelievably, Hachiko maintained his routine for years, and his reputation spread. Some people were incredulous that it was true, including Hirokichi Saito, one of the professor’s former…
