Hachiko The Dog
Whichever line you use to come into Shibuya, try and get to the Hachiko exit before leaving the station. Best time to do this - after dark if you can. As you walk outside, take in the sea of neon that greets you from the numerous billboards and video screens that circle Hachiko crossing.
It doesn't take long to realize that this is a popular meeting place where people congregate to wait for their friends. What makes it so popular? Time to meet the reason this area got it's name - Hachiko the dog. You'll see his statue just past the steps that lead down to the subway lines outside the main Hachiko exit.
This wee dog moved to Tokyo with his master, Uyeno san, in 1924, when Hachiko was just 2 years old. Hachiko used to see his master off to work everyday at Shibuya station and would return to meet him and walk home with him at the end of the day. This was a daily ritual that sadly came to an abrupt end in 1925 when Uyeno san died at work and never made the journey home again.
Well dogs have a reputation for being loyal and faithful and Hachiko proved those qualities beyond any doubt. He continued to return to the station and wait for his master for the next 10 years of his life until, finally, he too passed away.
Hachiko was such a familiar sight with passers by and commuters that it was decided to honour his memory with a memorial statue - and there you have it. That's why this is the place to wait for your friends.
No comments:
Post a Comment