Hachiko, the loyal Japanese dog remembered at Shibuya Station, was an Akita.
Born near Ōdate in Akita Prefecture in mid-November 1923, Hachiko was brought to Tokyo in 1924 by Professor Hidesaburo Ueno of Tokyo Imperial University. The dog accompanied Ueno to Shibuya Station and returned to meet him after work.
Ueno died suddenly in May 1925, but Hachiko continued returning to the station for almost a decade, waiting for his owner. His devotion became nationally famous after Japanese newspapers reported the story, and he became a symbol of loyalty in Japan. A bronze statue was erected at Shibuya Station in 1934.
The breed is sometimes confused with the Shiba Inu because both are Japanese spitz breeds, but they are distinct. Akitas are substantially larger and were historically developed in northern Japan. Hachiko was a purebred Akita, despite later misinformation about his origins.