Hachiko: A Dog's Story - a true story adapted from Japan is about an Akita Inu purebred dog who is extremely loyal to his master.

*the description below is based on the Japanese version of the movie*

Hachiko, meaning '8th Duke' of '8th Prince' is an Akita Inu purebred dog who was given to a reknowned Agriculture Professor, Professor Ueno from the University of Tokyo.

The professor and his family did not really want to keep Hachiko but in the end, Professor Ueno decided to keep Hachiko.

Professor Ueno not only became Hachiko's master and Hachiko was not only his pet, as the time past, they both became inseparable and the best of friends.

Everyday, Hachiko would follow and accompany the professor to the train station where he would take the train to the university where he worked and return back to the station at exactly 5pm to greet the professor.

This act attracted the surrounding people around the station and soon Hachiko became a famous figure around the station.

One day, however, unfortunately, the professor suddenly collapse during a lecture due to stroke and therefore Hachiko never got to greet him once more at the station at 5pm.

The professor's family decided to sell the house and his wife moved in with the daughter and had asked her uncle to take Hachiko in but Hachiko would always run off back to the old house as if wanting to meet and see the professor once more.

Even after the professor died, Hachiko would still appear at the same train station at the same exact time everyday for a decade until he himself died.

Hachiko became a national icon and now one can see a statue of him in front of the Shibuya Train Station at the spot where he would always wait for his professor to come and greet him. In addition to that, many locals believe that many friendships were formed there and even blind dates led to weddings at the famous Hachiko spot.

This story has really changed my mind about animal loyalty towards their owners and has really touched my heart. If animals can be that loyal to someone, what more to say, us human beings - ARE WE LOYAL ENOUGH TO OUR LOVED ONES?

Below is the trailer of the movie:

8/07/2011 09:07:00 AM by Stz Anne Y