Hachiko

Hachiko was an Akita who belonged to a Japanese agriculture professor in the 1920's. Every day the dog would greet his master's return at the Shibuya train station. One day the master suffered a stroke and did not return. Hachiko however continued to wait in the same spot at the station for over ten years. The public was touched by the dog's faithfulness and he became a national icon. A statue of Hachiko was made that still stands in Shibuya Station. A film about this noble animal will be released later this year. (photo courtesy Wikimedia Commons)