Hachiko Statue

Hachiko Statue at a glance

The story of Hachiko is the ultimate testament to the loyalty of dogs. Hachiko's owner, Ueda Eisaburo, was a professor at Tokyo Imperial University's Department of Agriculture who lived near Shibuya Station. Every morning, the Akita puppy would accompany Ueda to the station and be there waiting for him when he returned from work in the evening.

After going together to the station on a fateful morning in May 1925, Professor Ueda died suddenly at work. As usual, Hachiko went to the station to greet his master in the evening – and did so everyday for next 11 years. In 1935, the local residents of Shibuya were so moved by the dog's devotion to Ueda that they built a bronze statue of him and put it by the station where Hachiko waited everyday.

The statue was melted to build weapons during World War II and a replacement was built in 1948. There is also a stuffed dog in the National Science Museum, where the story is retold to visitors.

The Hachiko Statue is the most popular place in Tokyo to meet up with friends. Interestingly, the masses of waiting people for others make it quite difficult to find the person you are looking for.