[Sunday Culture] 'Chung-gyeon Hachi' 100th Birthday... There Are Actually Two Statues

Honoring the Deceased Owner with Daily Greetings at Shibuya Station
Various Events Held for the 100th Anniversary
Another Statue at the University of Tokyo... Joyful Reunion with the Owner

Hachi, the loyal dog who waited every day in front of Shibuya Station hoping for the return of his owner who suddenly passed away, has become a proper noun with the name 'Chung-gyeon' (loyal dog). The story of Hachi is famous not only in Japan but also in Korea, where it has often been a must-read book during childhood.

Born in 1923, Hachi celebrates his 100th birthday this year. To commemorate the 100th anniversary of his birth, events, broadcasts, and celebrations honoring Hachi are continuously taking place not only at Shibuya Station, where Hachi used to greet his owner every day, but throughout Japan.

Hachiko Statue in Shibuya. (Photo by Hachi 100th Anniversary Official Website)

In Japan, Hachi is called Hachiko by adding the character 'ko (公)' from 'dog' (견공). There are stories that this honorific was added to honor Hachi, and also that since his owner was a university professor, his students dared not call Hachi casually, so they called him this way. In any case, in Japan, the dog Hachi is commonly known as 'Hachiko.'

There is a statue of Hachiko in front of Shibuya Station in Tokyo. It has become such a well-known meeting spot that people say, "Look near the Hachiko exit." Currently, the statue is so frequently touched by people and tourists that it is almost polished smooth, with only the shape of the dog remaining.

The Hachiko statue at Shibuya Station greeted people in a unique way on the 12th and 13th of this month by being placed on a bed inside a room. Unaware of this, I went to Tokyo and asked a friend, "Is Hachiko under construction?" and was told it was a limited edition artwork that I was lucky to see. It was a rest room provided for a day to commemorate the 100th anniversary. The artwork is meant to evoke the image of Hachiko comfortably resting on a household bed, giving him a moment of rest.

The 'Hachi's Room' commemorating the 100th anniversary of Hachi's birth. (Photo by FNN)

In fact, there is another Hachiko statue besides the one in front of Shibuya Station. It is located in front of the Tokyo University of Agriculture.

This is because Hachi’s owner, Ueno Eizaburo, was a professor at Tokyo University of Agriculture. He commuted by train from Shibuya Station to Tokyo University. After finishing a meeting at the university, he suddenly died of a stroke, and from then on, Hachi could no longer see his owner.

To honor this, Tokyo University erected a statue showing Ueno and Hachi facing each other happily. In the statue, Hachi stands on his hind legs and places his front paws on Ueno, who welcomes him back. Seeing this statue is even more touching than the one at Shibuya.

Statue of Hachi and his owner Ueno Eizaburo at the University of Tokyo. (Photo by the University of Tokyo)

Japan is bustling with excitement over Hachi’s 100th birthday. From documentaries about Hachi to nationwide events, the celebrations continue. However, despite the public interest, Hachi currently remains as a taxidermy specimen housed at the National Museum of Nature and Science in Japan.

Looking at the taxidermy, Hachi looks somewhat different from the commonly known Japanese Shiba dog. This is because Hachi was not a Shiba but an Akita dog, named after Akita Prefecture in Japan. Moreover, Hachi had white fur instead of brown, giving him a distinctly different appearance.

Hachi during his lifetime. (Photo by Hachi 100th Anniversary Homepage)

However, Hachi and his statues did not have very peaceful days after his death. Hachi’s body was preserved as a taxidermy specimen in the museum, and his heart, infected with heartworms, is displayed at Tokyo University of Agriculture with the parasites still inside. The remaining ashes were buried next to Professor Ueno. Furthermore, the Hachiko statue was confiscated during the Pacific War, melted down, and used to make rails for the invasion. Some analyses suggest that emphasizing Hachi as a 'loyal dog' was used to support Japanese militarism at the time.

Despite the intense attention focused on Hachi, seeing what remains of him leaves a somewhat uneasy feeling. We can only hope that Professor Ueno and Hachi are happily together in heaven.