Hachiko: The True Story of the Royal Dogs of Japan and One Faithful Akita

Julie Chrystyn

Nov 2009 · Phoenix Books

About this ebook

In 1924, Hachiko was brought to Tokyo by his owner, Hidesaburo Ueno, a professor in the agriculture department at the University of Tokyo. During his owner's life, Hachiko saw him off from the front door and greeted him at the end of the day at the nearby Shibuya Station. The pair continued their daily routine until May 1925, when Professor Ueno didn't return on the usual train one evening. The professor had suffered a stroke at the university that day. He died and never returned to the train station where his friend was waiting.

Hachiko was given away after his master's death, but he routinely escaped, showing up again and again at his old home. After time, Hachiko realized that Professor Ueno no longer lived at the house. So he went to look for his master at the train station where he had accompanied him so many times before. Each day, Hachiko waited for Professor Ueno to return. And each day, he didn't see his friend among the commuters at the station.

Hachiko became a permanent fixture at the train station, which eventually attracted the attention of commuters. Many of the people who frequented the Shibuya train station had seen Hachiko and Professor Ueno together. Realizing that Hachiko waited in vigil for his dead master, their hearts were touched. They brought Hachiko treats and food to nourish him during his wait. This continued for 10 years, with Hachiko appearing precisely when the train was due at the station.

Hachiko: The Story of the Royal Dogs of Japan and One Faithful Akita is Hachiko’s story, as well as an informative look at dog culture in Japan and the history and tradition of the Akita-ken, one of the most ancient, beloved, and faithful dog breeds.

Ratings and reviews

Wow 𝗛𝗔𝗖𝗛𝗜𝗞𝗢 the great dog. I am crying 😭😭😭😭😭😭

About the author

Julie Chrystyn was born on a farm in a rural part of the former Yugoslavia, under its Communist regime. She was granted political asylum in the United States at the age of eight. At the age of twelve, she was diagnosed with severe scoliosis (curvature of the spine) for which she underwent radical surgery and spent a year on her bed in a full body cast. During that year, she mapped out the entire course of her life—and then proceeded to live it. She rejected the prognosis of lower-body paralysis and rejected the social and economic hardships of her family; she stubbornly defied all odds and worked toward her goals with a vengeance. Julie pursued an education in journalism, political science, and economics and eventually became a leading ghostwriter for some of the world's leading political figures and business tycoons. She ventured into business and philanthropy, and she married Dwight D. Opperman, one of the most prominent figures in America's legal world.