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!
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!
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