Hachi Spirit Blog

It’s hard to believe that Hachi was only a year and a half years when Professor Ueno passed away. However short their time together, the young Akita was devastated. As was the custom during that period, the wake and funeral service was held at home, rather than at a funeral parlor.  So it was that […]

For Hachi and Professor Ueno, everyday was filled with joy! The two were inseparable. In the morning, Hachi could be spotted walking Ueno to the Shibuya train station. At the end of each day, the faithful Akita eagerly returned to greet his beloved owner. They settled into a daily routine, and life was sweet. Nobody […]

My film, Hachi: A Dog’s Tale had just been released around the world, and I was sleeping in a spare room…on an airbed. This happened to me right after my film “Hachi: A Dog’s Tale” premiered in Tokyo. A few months after my return, my mother had hip surgery. She ended up in rehab for […]

As soon as Hachi’s health improved in July 1924, his “job” began.  Professor Ueno, an accomplished man in his own right, wore many hats. While going to the Komaba campus to teach, on foot, he also went to the Agriculture Ministry’s office and to the Agriculture Ministry’s Agriculture Experiment Station, taking a train.  There, Hachi accompanied Professor Ueno […]

Most dog owners dread the day that their beloved furry friend passes away. Yet, while animals have shorter life spans than humans, there’s always a chance that we may cross the rainbow bridge before our cherished animal friends.

Today, the story of the loyal Akita Hachi is globally recognized through the film Hachi: A Dog’s Tale, but in reality, he almost didn’t survive his early days. Upon his arrival at Professor Ueno’s home, the puppy had serious, life-threatening issues for the first six months. Suffering from a weak digestive system along with constant diarrhea, Hachi […]