The Akita has seen been featured quite well in various Japanese film and mangas (comics). However, undoubtedly the most popular Akita in modern pop culture is Hachiko. Hachiko was born in 1923 and was owned by Hidesaburo Ueno, a professor at University of Tokyo. Ueno, who lived near the Shibuya Station, would walk with Hachiko to the train station every day. At the end of the day, Hachiko would come to the station and greet his owner as he arrived from work.

This routine went on for a few years until 1925. During one of his lectures, Ueno suddenly collapsed and was found to have suffered cerebral haemorrhage, which ultimately caused him his death. Hachiko, who was unaware of his owner’s passing, waited at the station. He waited for Ueno to arrive at the station for exactly nine years, nine months and fifteen days. Throughout this period, people would notice Hachiko and give him treats while he waited for the train to arrive. In 1935, Hachiko succumbed to old age and was found to have died of terminal cancer.

The amazing story of Hachiko’s loyalty to his master became legendary in Tokyo. In fact, a bronze statue was built at Shibuya Station in his honor. Hachiko also became the subject of the Japanese film Hachiko Monagatari, which centered on the friendship between the two and detailed his life and illusory reunion with his owner. Another big screen adaptation of Hachiko’s story was the remake of the Japanese film entitled Hachi: A Dog’s Tale, which outlines a similar story between an American professor and his loyal dog.

Apart from the films, Hachiko was also heavily featured in some literary books. Two children’s books, namely Hachicko: The True Story of a Loyal Dog and Hachiko Waits, depicts the famous Akita’s story. David Wroblewski’s 2008 novel, entitled The Story of Edgar Sawtelle, also significantly highlights Hachiko.

Aside from Hachiko, there are other Akita dog characters that have been a staple in Japanese culture. In the Japanese film Snow Prince, the protagonist owned an Akita named Chibi. Another example is the adventure manga called Ginga: Nagareboshi Gin. This series is focused on the story of Gin, an Akita dog who decides to leave his owner to join the quest of a pack of wild dogs. There is no shortage of Akita references in contemporary pop culture, which helped increase the popularity of the dog breed not just in Japan but all over the world.