
Hachikō - shibafreenu
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hachikō
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supernova87a
Isn't it interesting how, when a dog shows such extreme and unquestioning
loyalty, we find it so adorable and endearing. When a person shows such
loyalty, it can almost be off-putting!

Is it that people have so many hidden motivations you become suspicious, or
worry about generating / reciprocating feelings of obligation, or end up
disappointing you after causing you to invest emotion?

Or just that a "simple" animal can exhibit such complex behavior that we find
especially endearing?

~~~
freeflight
_> When a person shows such loyalty, it can almost be off-putting!_

I don't think it's really as universal as that and depends a lot on the
cultural norms and the specific manifestation of loyalty.

A good example would be the common misconception of the Samurai ethos in
Western circles. Many people cite the Hagakure [0] and Bushido [1] like they
are some kinds of manuals for a bad-ass Samurai making their own way through
strong principles, perfectly fitting the pop-culture depictions.

When in reality, these books describe the Samurai as the most loyal retainer
to his daimyo, who holds up his strict principles not out of vain/self-
glorification, but because that was considered the best way to serve his
master, which was considered the most important thing to them.

It's an ethos about loyalty to the point of self-sacrifice for the master's
honor, which doesn't hold up very well in our modern hyper-individualistic
times.

[0]
[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hagakure](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hagakure)

[1]
[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bushido:_The_Soul_of_Japan](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bushido:_The_Soul_of_Japan)

~~~
the_af
It's important to note that the Hagakure and Bushido were late additions to
Samurai culture -- the Hagakure in particular is a nostalgic idealization of a
way of living that was almost lost by the time it was written -- and in many
ways are idealizations that were seldom followed by the actual warrior class.
A bit like samurai fan-fiction!

Western circles often mistakenly believe the Hagakure truly embodies the
Samurai spirit, when in practice most Samurai didn't follow it and weren't as
selfless or honor-bound as the code would have you believe.

~~~
Psyladine
Yes, written by a wanna-be reflecting nostalgically on the past the way a
romanticist today twirls a fedora for a time when 'men were men'.

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brenden2
There's a film adaptation of this (true) story, called Hachi[1]. Worth a watch
if you like dogs. I think they actually used a Shiba for most of the puppy
scenes, and the adult dog was an Akita.

I've got a 2 y/o Shiba Inu, and she's pretty amazing. I've had several dogs in
the past, but a Shiba is nothing like other breeds. She's incredibly smart and
has more personality than I've ever known a dog to have.

[1]:
[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hachi:_A_Dog%27s_Tale](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hachi:_A_Dog%27s_Tale)

~~~
freeflight
One of the few movies that actually made me cry.

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olingern
If you live in Tokyo, you know that the statue of Hachiko-san is the default
meeting place / hang out spot for many Tokyoites in Shibuya

I don't think there's any conscious symbolism around it today, but I wonder if
the trend of waiting there started off as an ode to Hachiko's loyalty and
extending that to a friend you're meeting.

~~~
GuiA
I suspect that any cute statue right outside of a major transit station would
quickly become a de facto meeting point...

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olingern
Typically it's so crowded that it's impossible to find who you're meeting. So,
I don't understand why people typically meet there other than tradition

~~~
dvcrn
It's not a tradition. People meet there because it's a spot everyone knows,
right outside the station, with a ton of signs telling you where it is. If not
Hachiko people usually say "let's meet at the green train" which is another
thing right next to the Hachiko statue and has no history about loyalty
attached to it whatsoever.

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netsharc
I've seen his statue outside Shibuya station, and also knew about the story,
but seeing the black and white pictures on that page hits me how Hachiko
wasn't waiting in a neon-lit super-busy corner of Tokyo, surrounded by glass
and concrete skyscrapers, it was a whole different world back then.

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blahbhthrow3748
We have a pet Japanese Akita and he's extremely loyal and good at remembering
people. He freaks out when he sees his favourite people, even after years
apart.

~~~
finestkludge
Dogs' ability to cling to long term memories like this is always amazing to
me.

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smallnamespace
Probably inspired the ending to a classic, sappy Futurama episode:
[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jurassic_Bark](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jurassic_Bark)

~~~
fourier_mode
[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hachik%C5%8D#In_popular_cultur...](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hachik%C5%8D#In_popular_culture)

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milankragujevic
Interesting coincidence, just yesterday I saw a video on Serbian TV about a
similar case of a dog waiting for his owner, who had gone on a bus (as was the
routine) and died. The dog is still waiting for him, being fed and taken care
of by nearby people, but refusing to be moved from that place.

You can see the video I captured here: [https://milankragujevic.com/uploads-
cdn/310724819332445.mp4](https://milankragujevic.com/uploads-
cdn/310724819332445.mp4)

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variaga
See also Greyfriars Bobby
[https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Greyfriars_Bobby](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Greyfriars_Bobby)

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mlang23
Does anyone know how tths story actually gained public recognition? I mean,
its a dog from 1925, and back then, people weren't posting pics all day and
the dog was likely also not featured in the daily TV news :-) Maybe thats a
stupid question, but I still wonder.

~~~
caligarn
A journalist originally noticed the dog and reported on him, thus capturing
the imagination of the citizens of Tokyo.

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feintruled
Rationally I know the dog probably just got somewhat accidentally trained to
go the station at the same time and kept doing it (reinforced after his
master's death by getting fed there) but that picture of the station staff all
mourning the dying dog really got me!

