This Dog Taught Me A Lesson

This movie brought back much nostalgia when its original Japanese version was aired more than 20 years ago on television. Being only about 7 or 8 years old then, I already clean forgotten its title but its story left such a deep impression that it will never be erased from my memory.

The story goes like this...

[Extracted from Wiki]

In 1924, Hachikō was brought to Tokyo by his owner, Hidesaburō Ueno, a professor in the agriculture department at the University of Tokyo. During his owner's life Hachikō 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 did not 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.

Hachikō was given away after his master's death, but he routinely escaped, showing up again and again at his old home. Eventually, Hachikō apparently 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, Hachikō waited for Professor Ueno to return. And each day he did not see his friend among the commuters at the station.

The permanent fixture at the train station that was Hachikō attracted the attention of other commuters. Many of the people who frequented the Shibuya train station had seen Hachikō and Professor Ueno together each day. They brought Hachikō treats and food to nourish him during his wait.

This continued for 10 years, with Hachikō appearing only in the evening time, precisely when the train was due at the station.

The amazing fact is that it is a true story which became Japan’s national symbol of loyalty and was taught in schools as part of moral education. Which I think is very apt, even if it is a fictional story. I mean, even a dog can be this faithful, why not a human being?

Back to the American remake, there’s a feeling it is not as touching as the original recipe. There’s a reason why this is only a DVD release in US (another remake example I can think of: My Sassy Girl) and we all know the story happened in Tokyo, not Tennessee. Yet, still have a strong urge to watch it. After all, Hachikō the dog taught me to be loyal, which I always try to.