As the world marks the 100th anniversary of the birth of Hachiko, public fondness for the beloved Akita Inu dog hasn't wavered, particularly among elderly Tokyoites such as Maki Kuroi. 

Kuroi, 96, saw the famed Hachiko, aka Hachi, on his daily trek to wait for his deceased owner as he had done for many years.

One evening in 1934, Kuroi was on her way home from elementary school. Her train was running slowly on a viaduct along the Yamanote Line just before reaching Shibuya Station.

Standing beside a door on the right side of the train, the second-grade girl was looking through the window at the street below when a large, brownish dog came into sight.

The canine was about to cross a road leading to the Dogenzaka district. The street intersected the rail track around what is currently known as the Shibuya scramble crossing.

Seeing the dog heading south for Shibuya Station, Kuroi quickly became certain that this was Hachiko, who was famed even then. 

Hachiko looked to the right of the road, and then to the left, to check for cars before crossing the street.

“He turned to the right first since automobiles come from that direction first” in Japan, recalled the impressed Kuroi, who is a resident of Setagaya Ward. “He displayed good intelligence, just as I’d heard.”

At that time, Hachiko was 10 years old. He looked healthy but showed some signs of aging.

Kuroi wanted to pet Hachiko, but, since Shibuya Station wasn’t her stop, she had to be content with seeing him from afar.

Kuroi later named one of her own two dogs Hachi after that loyal hound who had been put in the public spotlight.

DAILY WAIT AT SHIBUYA STATION

Born in Odate, Akita Prefecture, in November 1923, Hachiko was adopted by Hidesaburo Ueno, an agricultural professor at today’s University of Tokyo, in January 1924.

They lived together near the current site of the Bunkamura entertainment complex.

Hachiko accompanied his master to and from Shibuya Station every day until Ueno died of a sudden illness in May 1925, and Hachiko was taken in by Ueno’s gardener.

Around the fall of 1927, Hachiko began appearing at Shibuya Station again, every morning and every evening, and would wait there for some time before returning home. Reportedly, Hachiko was waiting for his deceased master to step off the train and greet him once again.

The Asahi Shimbun reported on the “pitiful old dog’s story” in an article in October 1932, drawing considerable attention.

Passers-by began to give Hachiko meat, bread and other food more frequently from then on.

Hachiko continued to go to Shibuya Station twice a day until his death in March 1935. The loyal dog was found dead near the station, apparently from filariasis or cancer.

A BIOLOGICAL PERSPECTIVE

Around the time Hachiko first garnered his fame, the possibility of the Pacific War loomed overhead and citizens in Japan were often exposed to “loyal and patriotic” sentiments.

Many admired Hachiko for steadfastly returning to Shibuya Station day after day, viewing the behavior as unwavering faithfulness to his owner.

However, some believe that Hachiko had additional motivations for returning to the station.

Takefumi Kikusui, a veterinary professor at Azabu University and canine expert, has a theory about Hachiko's exceptional behavior, given the nature of Akita Inu.

Kikusui admits that Akita Inu and other traditional Japanese breeds often build unusually strong bonds with their owners.

However, he says that does not mean that they are always obedient to their masters’ orders. Instead, they make judgments, such as evading risks while hunting, on their own and act accordingly.

Kikusui argued that the initial reason for Hachiko’s ongoing visits to Shibuya Station was “likely waiting for Dr. Ueno,” as widely believed. However, he says that this reason alone is not sufficient to explain why the dog continued going there for more than seven years until he died at age 11.

Dogs will not stick to certain practices continuously without reward, says Kikusui.

Hachiko’s return home at a specific time every day also cannot be justified if he really ventured out to see his departed owner.

In addition to looking for his master Ueno, Kikusui says that Hachiko’s journey to Shibuya Station via bustling streets may have also been an enjoyable aspect of life for the hound, allowing him to pick up food like many other unconfined dogs that roamed the capital in those days.

100TH BIRTHDAY CELEBRATION

To celebrate Hachiko’s centenarian milestone on a grand scale, a steering committee comprised of six entities, including Odate city and Shibuya Ward, is mounting the Hachi 100 Project. Celebratory events started in November 2022 and culminate in November. 

For more details of the campaign, visit the dedicated site at (https://hachi100.visitakita.com/top/en/top/).