Hachik�...A� was an Akita dog born on a farm near the city of �...�'date. In 1924, Hidesabur�...A� Ueno, a professor in the agriculture department at the University of Tokyo, took in Hachik�...A� as a pet. During his owner's life, Hachik�...A� greeted him at the end of each day at the nearby Shibuya Station. The pair continued their daily routine until May 1925, when Professor Ueno did not return. The professor had suffered from a cerebral hemorrhage and died, never returning to the train station where Hachik�...A� was waiting. Every day for the next nine years the golden brown Akita waited at Shibuya station.

Hachik�...A� was given away after his master's death, but he routinely escaped, returning again and again to his old home. Eventually, Hachik�...A� 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, Hachik�...A� waited for the return of his owner.

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

This continued for nine years with Hachik�...A� appearing precisely when the train was due at the station.

Hachik�...A� died on March 8, 1935, and was found on a street in Shibuya. His stuffed and mounted remains are kept at the National Science Museum of Japan in Ueno, Tokyo.

In April 1934, a bronze statue in his likeness was erected at Shibuya Station and Hachik�...A� himself was present at its unveiling. The statue was recycled for the war effort during World War II. The new statue, which was erected in August 1948, still stands and is an extremely popular meeting spot. The station entrance near this statue is named "Hachik�...A�-guchi", meaning "The Hachik�...A� Entrance/Exit".

Hachiko: A Dog's Story,  released in August 2009, is an American movie starring actor Richard Gere, directed by Lasse HallstrÃA�m, about Hachik�...A� and his relationship with the professor. The movie was filmed in Rhode Island, and also featured Joan Allen and Jason Alexander.