Thursday, September 29, 2005

Who says it's just a Dog's Life?

As mentioned in my previous blog, here is the story of Hachiko (as told in the movie)...

Hachiko was born in northern Japan in November 1923 from a special breed of dog known as Akita (秋田犬). When he was a few months old, he was sent by train to Dr. Ueno Eizaburo who lived in Tokyo. The professor lived with his wife and daughter, along with two house servants who attended to the daily chores. When his daughter was married off, there was a void in the old couple’s lives; this was when Hachiko began to come into the professor’s life.

During the university vacation the professor would often bring Hachiko out for a walk around the neighborhood; and when school reopened, Hachiko would follow him to the Shibuya station as he commute to work in the morning; in the evening, Hachiko would wait at the same station for the professor to return. They built up a relationship so strong that, at one point, when the professor’s daughter came back with her husband and their new born child for a visit, he was carefully picking out fleas from Hachiko that he hardly paid any attention to his grandson…

On that fateful day of May 21, 1925, as usual the professor was preparing to go to work. But Hachiko sensed something amiss and was not his normal self. He let out a whimper as he watched the professor went through the station’s gates. That morning, the professor collapsed in class while giving a lecture and was pronounced dead. Hachiko waited at the station that day and when the professor did not show up, he ran back home only to see the undertakers bringing back the casket which the professor was laid in.

During the funeral service, when relatives and friends of the late professor came to pay their last respect, Hachiko suddenly rushed to the altar front and began to mourn for his owner. When the professor’s wife saw that, tears flowed down her cheeks. The day when the professor was to be buried, Hachiko was chained to his kernel. As the casket vehicle was leaving for the cemetary, Hachiko tried frantically to free himself; the chain broke and Hachiko leaped over the gate just in time to send the professor one last time.

Hachiko was arranged to be given away to a relative, but he was not properly taken care of there (he was chained outside the house and exposed to the weather). So he ran back to the late professor’s house. After some time, the grief–strickened wife of the professor decided to sell the house, so she dismissed the two servants. She left Hachiko in the care of an old neighbor family, but when the old neighbor died his wife also moved away. Still, Hachiko would wait at the station every day. When the late professor’s wife saw the loyalty of Hachiko, she wanted to bring him to stay with her at her son-in-law's home. Hachiko, however, wanted to stayed at the station, so he avoided her till she gave up finding him.

Hachiko’s vigil at Shibuya station lasted nearly ten years. During this time, he attracted attention from the media and people who marvelled at his loyalty. On 8 March 1935, during one winter night, as health began to fail him, Hachiko cried out to his owner at the station gate. Suddenly, he caught sight of the professor who lovingly called out his name and beckoned him to come. With longing joy, Hachiko ran and leaped into the embrace of the professor and was finally united with his owner—in death.

These are some highlights of the movie; there are also other enjoyable snippets which I’ll leave you to see for yourself (if you can find the tape, that is). The ending song is also quite beautiful, so don’t miss it.

It is my hope that Hachiko will find a place in your heart just as it did mine, and that the message of true loyalty will always be there to keep you company, even in life’s darkest hour…

monogatari o tanoshinda desu ka? wuff-wuff!

Wednesday, September 28, 2005

Hachiko Monogatari

Today, I'll like to share a little about Hachiko. The name I've chosen for my blog (see title above) translated means The Story of Hachiko. The truth is, Hachiko is not a person, as most native Japanese will tell you, but a dog (more accurately, an Akita inu).

My first encounter with Hachiko was back in 1990 when I saw the movie (in Japanese with English subtitles) on TV. It brought tears to my eyes and left a deep impression in my heart. Then I caught a second TV screening of the same movie a few years later (by accident) and again it moved me to tears. Fast forward to the year 2004; a new colleague of mine introduced me to the masterpiece of Japanese Anime, Spirited Away, by Hayao Miyazaki.

Somehow, that brought back memories of Hachiko and I started a search for the movie (at local video stores and on the internet) which lasted almost two months. You wouldn't believe how difficult it was to find that movie (made in the year 1987) considering it was a classic in Japanese culture and heritage.

I was on the verge of giving up when finally, I found it on an online Japanese media store (in one of their undisclosed web pages). It was in VHS (mono, without English subtitles) and cost me 2,980 yen. I had it converted to VCD, which cost me another 22 bucks, but I felt all the troubles and expenses that I've been through were worth every bit.

And you know what? After watching the same movie for the third and subsequently, fourth time, I found myself still unable to control my tears from falling. After all these years, the story of Hachiko still touches the soft spots in my heart (and I suppose it always will be).

Well, maybe I'll let you in on the details of the story on my next blog.

Till then...wuff-wuff!

Monday, September 26, 2005

Once in a Blue Moon...

It's been quite a while since my first blog. Work has been quite pressuring lately as the deadline approaches; besides there are a couple of matters that needed my attention, and before I realize it, almost a month has passed.

Come to think of it, why the phrase "Blue Moon" and not any other colors? Hmm... anyway, just remembered celebrating the Mid-Autumn Festival about a week ago. The Chinese believes that the Moon is brightest and roundest on that day (er, I mean night) of the year. Of course, there are the mooncakes: oishii desu ne! (Nowadays there are so many different flavors that even Baskin-Robbins pale in comparison (wink). But I still prefer the traditional kind with lotus or red bean paste; I can do without the egg yolk even though I don't have high cholesterol or weight problem, honest). I brought my three young nephews out for an evening walk with their lanterns (so my sister could have a break and enjoy some quiet moments), and got to see the moon in its pristine beauty.

Since ancient times, mankind has always been fascinated by this object which looms in the night sky. The Chinese are especially endeared to it, judging from the number of folklores invented since days immemorial, and all the beautiful poetry composed by renown poets and scholars of yester-years. Personally, I've memorized a couple of them, and believe me, there's nothing quite like feeling the emotional sentiments of those past sages as they gazed upon that same moon we see today...

We're told by our science and history books that man succeeded landing on the moon in the year 1969. Well, if that's true, then we've really done a great disservice to our future generations by taking away the wonder and mystery that surrounds it. I mean, who would've bother to take a second look at the moon, which is nothing but a chunk of cosmic rock ridden with pock marks, that satellites itself around the earth? The funny thing is, I've come to realize that there are people out there who don't really believe in the Apollo sagas. Now, before I get a deluge of comments or involve in unsolicited arguments, just pay a visit to this website if you want an alternative view (I think everyone should be given a chance to weigh all evidences and not be force-fed by media propaganda, ya?):

http://www.ufos-aliens.co.uk/cosmicapollo.html

Don't get me wrong. I'm for science; but unfortunately there are many things out there in the world that pose themselves as science, but in actuality are just pseudo-sciences. You know, these days science is stranger than fiction. And it all started with the "Blue Moon"...

Chikaiuchi ni omeni kakarimasu.