It’s easy to miss the letters that spell “Google” on the railroad tracks of this doodle but not the message of loyalty conveyed by the scraggly dog holding on to his master’s hat. The story of the Akita Dog that remained faithful to his owner even after death is truly remarkable that it became a legend in Japan.
Hachiko’s loyalty has been honored in his country in so many ways. In 1934 a bronze statue created by famed Japanese artist Ando Teru and placed at the Shibuya Station where Hachiko waited for his friend and master, Professor Ueno. Hachiko passed away about a year after the statue was erected due to terminal cancer and his monument was melted down during World War II. But the memories of Hachiko never left the hearts of the Japanese people that by 1948 a second one was built in his honor. This was commissioned by The Society for Recreating the Hachiko Statue with Ando Takeshi as the artist. Takeshi is the son of the original creator of Hachiko Statue, Ando Teru. This statue is a popular meeting place in Japan and one of the must see destinations for tourists. His remains were stuffed, mounted and displayed at the National Science Museum of Japan for the new and future generation to appreciate.
The heart-warming story of Hachiko is also told in two movie versions, one in Japan and the other in the U.S.A. The Japanese blockbuster Hachiko Monogatari was released in 1987, while the American film Hachi: A dog’s Tale was shown in 2009. The film starred Richard Gere, Joan Allen and Jason Alexander. There were also children’s books that centered on the life story of Hachiko. These include: Hachiko: The true story of a loyal dog by Pamela S.Turner (2004), Hachiko Waits by Leslie Newman(2004), and The Story of Edgar Sawtelle by David Wroblewski (2008).