Anybody who has ever been to Shibuya will little doubt pay attention to the story of Hachiko; the loyal canine who continued to attend for his grasp every night time for a few years after his grasp had died. The statue that sits exterior the Hachiko exit of the station is among the most well-known assembly spots in all of Japan. It’s a narrative that has been immortalised in a couple of movie diversifications with probably the most internationally well-known one being ‘Hachi; A Canine’s Story‘ (2009) starring Richard Gere albeit with the story moved to America as an alternative.
Again in 2015, a new Hachiko statue was unveiled on the College of Tokyo in Bunkyo ward which additionally included his grasp Professor Ueno. It much better resembles the rejoice and pleasure they each felt after they met after every work time. I assumed this and the Shibuya one have been the one statues of the famously loyal Akita canine however that’s not the case as there may be one other one exterior the closest station to the place he was born.
Not surprisingly that place is in Akita Prefecture and by pure probability it was in Odate. When reserving my lodging forward of this journey I had needed a resort a bit additional south in Akita metropolis itself for my fourth night time. Nonetheless, there was just about nothing out there so I selected Odate with out actually realizing the place it was. I additionally had no thought concerning the Hachiko connection till I used to be closing in on the station following my journey to see Nukazawa Station.
On the platform is its Hachiko Shrine that includes one other statue of Japan’s most well-known canine. Little did I do know on the time however in the event you put some cash into the gathering field then a canine barking sound is performed as a small signal of gratitude.
There have been a few different dog-related issues contained in the station together with one other Hachi statue of types beside the Odate Tourism Info Centre.
After all I noticed the Hachiko statue exterior the station that night time nevertheless it was so darkish that I knew it greatest to simply wait until the morning. The streets main the way in which to my resort have been certainly so darkish that I needed to really use the flashlight on my telephone to search out the way in which!
The bronze statue of Hachi was first unveiled in entrance of the station in July 1935 however the authorities ordered it to be withdrawn in 1945, one 12 months after the Shibuya one had additionally suffered the identical destiny as a result of Steel Assortment Act.
In Might 1964, a bunch statue of Akita canine, together with Hachi within the centre as a younger canine, was constructed in entrance of Odate practice station. Within the mid-80’s there was a motion by a committee to get the bronze statue of Hachi again and so fund-raising actions occurred throughout Japan to boost cash for it and it was finally unveiled in November 1987.
Click on right here to learn ‘New Hachikō Statue In Tokyo’
Click on right here to learn ‘Assessment: Movies Impressed By Japan – Hachi: A Canine’s Story (2009)’
Odate was principally only a place to remain for the night time and all of the Hachiko stuff actually was an enormous bonus. On finding my resort (Lodge Route Odate) I used to be delightfully shocked to know that dinner was included. It was a easy however tasty soba noodles dish however, having not eaten since mid-morning, I used to be nonetheless hungry so handled myself to a load of sushi plates at a close-by conveyor-belt sushi restaurant.
Bonus: It’s a far lesser identified proven fact that Hachiko rests in peace with Dr. Ueno in Aoyama Reien Cemetery as revealed in my acclaimed ‘Biking Tokyo’s Most Haunted Sights…In One Day‘ put up from 2012 which went on to be printed in Japan’s No. 1 English journal.
Seek for “Hachiko statue in Shibuya” on Tokyo Fox and surprisingly little or no comes up. Perhaps that’s as a result of it’s simply so well-known that I’ve by no means actually bothered to get an honest photograph of it. Or perhaps the crowds round it imply it’s all the time too troublesome to really get one!! I did discover a few photos although with some Japanese pals in them in a put up from the August 2006 archive known as ‘A Shock Customer‘. It’s a put up of its time I assume because it additionally contains a maid cafe, honey toast, Harajuku Sunday cosplayers (no matter occurred to them?!), Shibuya and Ikebukuro’s hottest ramen restaurant.
Click on right here to learn ‘A Japanese Ogre In Oga, Akita Structure & Practice Journey Tales By way of Yamagata’
