The Meaning behind “Hachi” To this day, there are conflicting theories on just how the beloved Akita of Japan was named. In 1934, Kishi Kazutoshi gave credit to Yae, Dr. Ueno’s wife, in “The Tale of Loyal Dog...
What do we know about Professor Ueno? He was a dog lover, owning sixteen dogs in his lifetime, but his connection with Hachikō was exceptional. The young, sickly Akita had a rough beginning, but it only served to strengthen their bond....
Hachi Arrived at Shibuya Station: Fact or Fiction? It was generally believed that Hachi arrived at Shibuya Station in Tokyo from his birth home in Ōdate. Based on this, the classic Japanese movie Hachi-kō monotagari (The Tale of...
Tragedy Greets Hachi Hachi was born in 1923, the same year that the Great Kantō Earthquake hit the Tokyo metropolitan region on September 1, 1923. This 7.9-magnitude earthquake, with the ensuring fire, caused unprecedented calamities...
Hachi was born in the farmhouse barn of Saitō Giichi (1873–1928), the head of the Saitō clan in Ōdate, Akita prefecture, in the northeastern region of Japan. The actual residence address of Saitō was Ōshinai, Niida-mura,...
There is much speculation as to Hachi’s actual day of birth. There is no record of an authentic birth certificate for Hachi, so his precise birthday is unknown. However, the best clue to determine his actual birthdate is the day...
A Japanese Akita puppy was born in Ōdate, in mid-November 1923. This northern Japan setting is located in the snowy northern Akita Prefecture, surrounded by mountains on all sides. The puppy would be named Hachi. He would soon become...
My Journey to Discover the Real Hachi Through my film Hachi: A Dog’s Tale, I’ve had the unique pleasure of being just one “voice” of Hachi through the years. Yet, I’m not a historian on the loyal Akita. Far from it. I’m simply a...
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