Sculpture of Tokyo's most loyal dog presented to evacuation area
IITATE, Fukushima Prefecture--A sculpture of Hachiko,
the Akita Inu dog famous for his unswerving loyalty, has been sent to
Iitate to encourage residents still struggling with the burdens of
evacuation.
All of Iitate has been subject to evacuation due to the accident at Tokyo Electric Power Co.'s Fukushima No. 1 nuclear power plant following the Great East Japan Earthquake and tsunami on March 11, 2011.
The sculpture was sent by the Shibuya Koen-Dori Shotengai Shinko Kumiai (Shibuya park street shopping area promotion association) in Tokyo's Shibuya Ward, where a bronze statue of Hachiko has become a bustling meeting place. The statue is located outside Shibuya Station to commemorate the dog's extreme loyalty, waiting at the station for his owner every day for 10 years even after his owner's death. According to the association, the sculpture sent to Iitate reflects the continuing wish of local residents to return to their homes.
The sculpture is made from iron wire and measures about 1.6 meters in height, which is slightly higher than the statue of Hachiko in Tokyo. After being used for an event held at the shopping area four years ago, the sculpture was kept unused in storage.
The association decided to present it as a gift, and on June 10 it was relocated to the entrance of a special elderly nursing home in Iitate that remained operating through the evacuation order because of the stress it would have placed on its elderly residents from being forced to move.
By YUKIKO SEINO/ Staff WriteAll of Iitate has been subject to evacuation due to the accident at Tokyo Electric Power Co.'s Fukushima No. 1 nuclear power plant following the Great East Japan Earthquake and tsunami on March 11, 2011.
The sculpture was sent by the Shibuya Koen-Dori Shotengai Shinko Kumiai (Shibuya park street shopping area promotion association) in Tokyo's Shibuya Ward, where a bronze statue of Hachiko has become a bustling meeting place. The statue is located outside Shibuya Station to commemorate the dog's extreme loyalty, waiting at the station for his owner every day for 10 years even after his owner's death. According to the association, the sculpture sent to Iitate reflects the continuing wish of local residents to return to their homes.
The sculpture is made from iron wire and measures about 1.6 meters in height, which is slightly higher than the statue of Hachiko in Tokyo. After being used for an event held at the shopping area four years ago, the sculpture was kept unused in storage.
The association decided to present it as a gift, and on June 10 it was relocated to the entrance of a special elderly nursing home in Iitate that remained operating through the evacuation order because of the stress it would have placed on its elderly residents from being forced to move.
The sculpture of Hachiko, the Akita
Inu dog famous for his loyalty to his dead master, is presented to
Iitate, Fukushima Prefecture, and installed at the entrance of a special
elderly nursing home on June 10 as a symbol for local people who are
still living under evacuation orders. (Yukiko Seino)
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