Hachi Spirit Blog

Who could forget Forrest’s performance in Hachi: A Dog’s Tale? One of three adult Akitas used in the film, his compelling portrayal of the aged Hachi in the final scenes  reduced the audience to a puddle of tears.  Did you know that the aged Hachi was played by a young Forrest? Credit is due to […]

A girl’s devotion to Hachiko has become part of Japan’s long adoration of the loyal dog. At age 10, Stephanie watched Hachi: A Dog’s Tale and was moved by the Akita’s plight. In response, she began writing a series of personal notebooks about the faithful Akita. Stephanie, now 15 and a resident of Bergano in […]

I heard there’s a new Hachi statue at the Woonsocket train station and I had to see it. So, after a 5 hour flight — I was back in the town where we had filmed Hachi: A Dog’s Tale. The statue is located in the same spot where Hachi patiently waited in the film. The station looks the […]

Hachi fans will be delighted to learn that on March 8th, a new statue featuring Hachi and Professor Hidesaburo Ueno will be unveiled. The bronze memorial will stand on the University of Tokyo campus where Professor Ueno (1871-1925) taught at the agricultural department This latest monument emphasizes the joyful affection between the professor and his beloved canine […]

If you could peek behind the scenes of the film Hachi: A Dog’s Tale, would you? Well, now you can with a new book titled, “Animal Stars: Behind the Scenes with Your Favorite Animal Actors.” If you head to Chapter 6, it’s written by Mark Harden, one of the talented animal trainers of Hachi: A […]

LA Eigafest is devoted to showcasing Japanese influenced films to an American audience, promoting emerging filmmakers to Hollywood, and enhancing the relationship between the US and Japanese film industries.