Hachikō

Statue Tokyo, Japan

Hachikō (ハチ公?) (Ōdate, November 10, 1923 - Shibuya, March 8, 1935) was an Akita breed dog, who became famous for his enormous loyalty towards his master, Professor Hidesaburō Ueno. After Ueno's sudden death, the dog went every day, for almost ten years, to wait for him, in vain, at Shibuya station, where the man usually took the train to go to work. The story had a huge response in the public opinion of the time and soon Hachikō became, in Japan, an emblem of affection and loyalty. In 1935, a statue was dedicated to the faithful animal and, over the years, its story became the subject of films and some books. Also known as Chūken Hachikō (忠犬 ハチ公,? literally faithful dog Hachikō), his real name was only Hachi, which in Japanese means "eight", a number considered auspicious (the suffix "kō" is used as a pet name).