Tuesday, January 6, 2009

Hachiko Based on a True Story

The movie Hachiko A Dog' Story is based on a true story that took in first half of the 20th century in Japan. We may learn more thanks to Wikipedia:

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In 1924, Hachiko was brought to Tokyo by his owner, Hidesaburo Ueno, a professor in the agriculture department at the University of Tokyo. During his owner's life Hachiko saw him off from the front door and greeted him at the end of the day at the nearby Shibuya Station. The pair continued their daily routine until May 1925, when Professor Ueno didn't return on the usual train one evening. The professor had suffered a stroke at the university that day. He died and never returned to the train station where his friend was waiting.

Hachiko was given away after his master's death, but he routinely escaped, showing up again and again at his old home. After time, Hachiko apparently realized that Professor Ueno no longer lived at the house. So he went to look for his master at the train station where he had accompanied him so many times before. Each day, Hachiko waited for Professor Ueno to return. And each day he didn't see his friend among the commuters at the station.

The permanent fixture at the train station that was Hachikō attracted the attention of other commuters. Many of the people who frequented the Shibuya train station had seen Hachiko and Professor Ueno together each day. Realizing that Hachiko waited in vigil for his dead master, their hearts were touched. They brought Hachiko treats and food to nourish him during his wait.

This continued for 10 years, with Hachiko appearing only in the evening time, precisely when the train was due at the station.
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The people of Japan was so touched by this heartfelt example of a dog's devotion for his owner that a statue a bronze statue in Hachiko's likeness was erected at Shibuya Station:
(Click on the picture to enlarge it.)
What an incredibly touching story! Hachiko was such a great dog! Such stories make you wish to have a pet!
:)

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