Hachiko

Coming from the culture of Japan, I had just recently watched the most beautiful story of an akido dog who made history in Japan in the early 1920s. I watched the movie edited to an American style version with Richard Gere starring in it, but the entire jest of the true story was beautifully portrayed in the spirit of Japan. Hachiko was found in a Tokyo train station as a small puppy and the name of his collar, Hachiko, meant the number 8, which in Japanese means "good fortune." The story goes that the college professor adopts the dog, and they spend only a year together before the professor unexpectedly dies at work. The entire first year of his life, Hachiko has walked his master to the train station in the mornings and comes back in the evenings and waits for him every night; then they walk home together. After the Japanese sensei dies, Hachiko continues to come to the train station every morning and every night to wait for his owner's return. He follows this pattern until the day that he dies, 10 years later. I sobbed until I thought my heart would come out of my chest, and if none of you have seen this story portrayed to perfection in a screen play, please do yourself a great favor.