Series of old 'Hachiko' photos discovery

TOKYO, Sep 19 (News On Japan) - Previously unseen photos of the famous Akita dog 'Hachiko', a symbol of Shibuya celebrating his 100th anniversary this year, have been recently discovered.

Hachiko, born in 1923, continued to wait for his owner's return at Shibuya Station even after his master had passed away.

Two of the unearthed photos are particularly valuable for creating future sculptures and 3D representations because they capture Hachiko's front and side profiles in a continuous sequence about a year before his passing.

Curator Keita Matsui remarked, "As he is wearing a ribbon for a ceremony, we can determine that it was taken on the evening of March 10, Showa 9 (1934). To have a specific date identified in a photo from his lifetime is incredibly valuable."

Other new photos have also been unearthed, including one with a child from Kobe alongside Hachiko while he was still alive, with the Hachiko Statue in the background. The statue was erected about 11 months before Hachiko's death, making this photo even more special.

Matsui added, "There are very few photos that capture both Hachiko and the Hachiko Statue. Even with the ones we've confirmed, there are only two or three, including this one."