Hachi accompanies Professor Ueno to Shibuya Station every morning, then returns at three o'clock to welcome him back. After his owner dies suddenly at work, the dog continues his afternoon vigil for the rest of his life, earning such notoriety that the honorific "ko" is attached to his name. After his death, a statue in his memory is erected near his accustomed spot on the platform. In the story, the author gives Hachiko a young human friend, Yasuo, who over a span of years helps to provide the dog with food and water. He later proposes to his future wife under that statue.