ancient traditions juxtaposed with the quirky subculture of modern Japan.
I have fallen in love with Japan – the politeness and helpfulness of the people, the cleanliness, the low crime rate and the
the statue regularly to touch it for luck. It has become an iconic tourist attraction. He even has an exit/ entrance named after him at Shibuya station. Hachi was the beloved pet of
Professor Ueno, a lecturer at Tokyo University. Everyday Hachi would see the professor off at Shibuya station in the morning and would wait to welcome him home every evening. Sadly on 21 May 1925, Professor Ueno died suddenly from a brain haemorrhage while lecturing in class but Hachi continued to wait for his master at the station everyday without fail for ten years until his own death on 8 March 1935. His loyalty and devotion to his master struck a chord with the local residents and
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his touching story was publicised by Asahi Shimbun, the most respected newspaper in Japan. Te local mayor erected a bronze statue of Hachi at the station to honour him on 21 April 1934 at which Hachi was a guest of honour at the unveiling ceremony. A year later, Hachi sadly died of cancer and his body was embalmed and stuffed and today is displayed at the National Museum of Nature and Science in Ueno, a suburb of Tokyo. Every year on 8 April, a solemn ceremony is held at his statue where dog lovers congregate for a remembrance service. Hachi’s touching story has been portrayed in films and books in different languages. Prepare to shed buckets of tears!
As a sucker for anything four-footed
and furry, I head to Happy Neko Café along the high street in Shibuya (neko is cat in Japanese). In a small room on the upper floor of a shabby building, the receptionist shows me the tariff of cat bonding time chargeable at half hourly rate. I pay for a half-hour session to have the privilege of stroking and petting the
MARCH 2014 | F ENGSHUIWORLD 43
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