New Statue Reunites Hachikō With His Master

Above, the Hachikō statue at Shibuya Station. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Most people who are familiar with Japanese culture and history know the story about the Akita dog Hachikō and that a statue of Hachikō stands near Shibuya Station in Tokyo.

Now, there's a new statue of Hachikō, only this one depicts him having a reunion with his master, Professor Hidesaburo Ueno of the University of Tokyo (then called Tokyo Imperial University).

According to Rocket News 24:

Even in a country that adores its pets, none have captured the hearts of Japanese animal-lovers like Hachiko. The Akita dog touched the hearts of people across the nation by devotedly waiting every day for more than nine years in front of Tokyo’s Shibuya Station for his master to return from work, not knowing that he had died from a cerebral hemorrhage and wouldn’t be coming back. 

Today, a statue of Hachiko stands in Shibuya, showing the dog patiently waiting. But while the bittersweet quality of the story made Hachiko famous, it overlooks the fact that before his master’s passing, the two would happily reunite every evening and walk home together. Now, it’s that moment’s turn to be immortalized, with a new statue showing Hachiko as he’s rarely been depicted before, bursting with joy upon seeing his owner.

As this year marks the 90th anniversary of Ueno's death and the 80th of Hachikō's passing, the agriculture department of the University of Tokyo has erected a bronze statue of Ueno and Hachikō on the campus.

To read more and to see the new statue, go here.