HACHIKO: A DOG”S STORY (2009)

A dog’s loyalty knows no bounds

I HAVE two Golden Retriever dogs and it’s amazing how ‘human’ they can be. They knew that we are angry and when we are happy.

They also knew we are going to work in the morning when they saw us packing our briefcases in the house and they wagged their tails excitedly at the sound of the car engine and the opening of our automatic gates when any of us were coming home.

That’s when I realized how in tune they were with our lives and our emotions. It made me wonder if they could be sad too because they were always so happy to see us.

And when I watched the Hachiko movie in Astro It brought tears to my eyes.

The incredible story of Japan’s most faithful dog, Hachiko, is a moving example of how loyal dogs can be. When a movie starring Richard Gere was made about Hachiko, unsurprisingly, I saw quite a number of red eyes amongst those who watched the film.

Hachiko: A Dog’s Story is a 2009 American drama film based on the true story of the faithful canine, Japanese Akita breed - Hachiko. It is a moving film about loyalty and the rare, invincible bonds that occasionally form almost instantaneously in the most unlikely places. This very special friend would accompany his master to the train station every day and return each afternoon to greet him after work. Sadly his master departs one day, passes away and never returns to the station. Hachiko faithfully returns to the same spot at the station the very next day, and every day for the next nine years to wait for his beloved master. During his daily visits, Hachiko touches the lives of many who work near and commute through the town square. He teaches the local people love, compassion and above all unyielding loyalty. Today, a bronze statue of Hachiko sits in his waiting spot outside the Shibuya station in Japan as a permanent reminder of his devotion and love.