The closing cards reveal information about the real Hachikō, who was born in Ōdate in 1923. Ronnie and Hachi walk down the same tracks where Parker and Hachi spent so many years together. After school, Ronnie is met coming off the school bus by his dad and his own puppy, also named Hachi. Ronnie’s story has clearly moved the class, with some students holding back tears, even those who had initially laughed at the beginning. Hachi is then shown alone one last time lying on the snow with his eyes closed before the camera sweeps upward into the night-time sky.The film then shows Ronnie, back in his classroom, making his conclusion of why Hachi will forever be his hero. His dreams include a vision of Parker once again coming through the train station doors to greet him. A feeble Hachi returns to the train station later that night and lies down in the snow to die, dreaming of past days with his master. At home, Cate tells the now ten-year-old Ronnie about Hachi. Overcome with grief, Cate sits and waits for the next train with him. Arriving at the station, she is stunned to see Hachi, old, dirty and weak, still maintaining his vigil. Ten years after Parker’s death, Cate comes back to visit Parker’s grave where she meets Ken, and she says that even though it has been a decade, she still misses him. His loyalty is profiled in the local newspaper. Andy arrives soon after and takes him home, but lets him out the next day to return to the station.For the next nine years, Hachi waits for his owner. However, at the first opportunity, he escapes and eventually finds his way back to his old house and then to the train station, where he sits at his usual spot, eating hot dogs given to him by Jasjeet, a local vendor. As time passes, Cate sells the house and Hachi is sent to live with her daughter Andy (Sarah Roemer), Michael, and their new baby Ronnie. The next day, Hachi returns to the station and waits, remaining all day and all night. He remains, lying in the snow, for several hours, until Parker’s son-in-law Michael (Ronnie Sublett) comes to collect him. At work that day Parker, still holding Hachi’s ball, is teaching his music class when he suddenly suffers a fatal heart attack and dies.Īt the train station, Hachi waits patiently as the train arrives, but there is no sign of Parker. Worried that he will be late for the college, Professor Parker leaves on the train despite Hachi barking at him.
Parker is surprised but pleased that Hachi is finally willing to play fetch the ball with him. Parker eventually leaves without him, but Hachi chases him, holding his ball. This continues for some time, Hachi doing this every day, until one afternoon Parker attempts to leave, but Hachi barks and refuses to go with him. Hachi leaves after Parker’s safe departure, but comes back in the afternoon to see his master’s train arrive and walk with him home again. Eventually Parker relents and walks Hachi to the station every morning, where he leaves on the train to go to his work as professor. That afternoon, Hachi sneaks out again and walks to the train station, waiting patiently for Parker’s train to come in. One morning, Parker leaves for work and Hachi sneaks out and follows him to the train station, where he refuses to leave until Parker walks him home. Ken advises him that Hachi will only bring him the ball for a special reason. Parker, however, is still mystified by Hachi’s refusal to do normal, dog-like things like chase and retrieve a ball. A few years later, Hachi and Parker are as close as ever. After seeing how close her husband has come to Hachi, however, Cate tells the caller that Hachi has already been adopted. Meanwhile Cate receives a call about someone wanting to adopt Hachi. Parker attempts to play fetch with Hachi, but he refuses to join in. Ken points out that perhaps the two are meant to be together. He sneaks the pup onto the train and takes him to work, where a Japanese college professor, Ken, translates the symbol on the pup’s collar as ‘Hachi’, Japanese for the number 8, which signifies good fortune. His wife Cate is insistent about not keeping the puppy and leaving it where he found it.The next day, Parker expects that someone will have contacted the train station, but no one has.
When Carl, the station controller, refuses to take him, Parker takes the puppy home overnight. Parker is instantly captivated by the dog.
Years before, an Akita puppy is sent from Japan to the United States, but his cage falls off the baggage cart at an American train station, where he is found by college professor Parker Wilson. A boy named Ronnie stands up and begins to tell of ‘Hachiko’, his grandfather’s dog.
In the modern day, a class full of young students are giving oral presentations about personal heroes.