| THE STORY OF HACHI-KO - Hachiko | ||
| TRUELY THE STORY OF A "MOST LOYAL" AKITA | ||
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Beloved by all
who hear his story "Hachi-ko" has truly touched the
hearts of people around the world. Daily Professor Eizaburo Ueno walked to Shibuya Station to board the train to Tokyo, accompanied by his Akita named Hachi. Once there Hachi-ko (as the professor affectionately called him) remained behind as the professor boarded the train for the commute to Tokyo Imperial University. |
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Hachi-ko
would greet his master precisely at 3 p.m. as he returned on
the afternoon train. One day Hachi-ko waited patiently as he
did every other day, but his master was not on the train. Hachiko continued to meet the 3:00 train every day, hoping his beloved master, to whom he was so devoted, would return. The former gardner of the professor, Kikuzaboro Kobayashi, fed and cared for Hachi-Ko but allowed him to mourn his own way. The station Director, realizing why the dog returned each day, also gave him shelter from the weather and began to feed him as did many people so moved by his faithfulness. Hachi-ko became a landmark; his unaltering routine became well known to communters, his fame spreading nationwide. Japanese schoolbooks talk of his great love for his master, serving as an example of loyalty. He was both pitied and admired. Many people traveled to Shibuya Station for the express purposed of seeing Hachi-ko, often presenting him with food, gently touching his head for luck. |
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