My Neighbor Totoro Dog Names

Like Totoro, Hachiko was a protective being, a Japanese born canine who showed the world commitment, care, and perseverance. Hachiko, nicknamed Hachi, may have been the most loyal dog on the planet. This gorgeous golden coated Akita, born in 1923 in Japan, was adopted by a Japanese professor from the University of Tokyo. The professor, Eizaburo Ueno, was joined by his faithful Hachi every day as he went to the train to go to work. In fact, Hachi would go with him to the Shibuya train station and then come back right when it was time for Ueno to return every evening. This loyal dog never missed a day meeting his favorite human at the train station, and the employees and other regular passengers got to know Hachi as well. Everyone loved the amazing Akita for his loyalty and faithfulness. 

The ritual went on until the day in 1925 when Ueno passed away at work suddenly of a stroke. Hachi was there at the station at 3:00 PM as he always was, but his master did not show up. Day after day, the loyal pooch would go to the train station at 3:00 PM to wait for Ueno, but he never showed up. The passengers and employees at the station felt so sorry for him that they would often sit with him, bringing him treats and toys. But, Hachi kept coming, for nine more years. One of Professor Ueno’s students from the University of Tokyo heard about Hachi’s story and decided to write an article about him. 

The story of Hachi became so famous that the Japanese artist Teru Ando made a large bronze statue of the dog and had it placed at Shibuya Station, where there was an unveiling ceremony that Hachi attended. During WWII in 1948, the statue was melted and recycled to make weapons for war but Ando’s son, also an artist, made another statue of the amazing Akita that was placed in the station in 1948. There was a huge dedication ceremony at that time, but Hachi did not attend this one because he passed away from cancer in 1935. 

The death of this loyal pooch was headlined around the world, and he was cremated and buried next to Professor Ueno. His fur was preserved and used as a stuffed monument of the Akita located in the National Science Museum of Japan in Tokyo. Every year on March eighth, which is the day that Hachi passed away, there is a ceremony at the Shibuya Train Station where hundreds of dog lovers meet to honor Hachi’s memory. In 1987, a motion picture movie was made in Japan about the dog and professor, and in 2009 another movie was made in the United States starring Richard Gere. Hachi was definitely an extremely loyal dog and will be remembered forever all over the world.