Ifaz Ali Khan, the chief editor and founder of this independent magazine, has been into serious writing since 2024. However, his tilt towards writing first appeared in 2015, when he started writing for a local English-language print magazine—Sparkle, during his elementary school years. In 2016 edition of Sparkle magazine, his article on Hachikō was published. The article gained tremendous attention among the readers' community. It was also reported that many children started nagging their parents for a pet dog, similar to Hachikō, after reading Ifaz's article—which highlighted his incredible story of loyalty. We bring you that article from 10 years ago, from the archives of Sparkle. 

Who's Hachiko? He is a male dog of native-Japanese Akita Breed who got famous all over Japan due to his remarkable loyalty for his master.

Hachiko was born on 10 November, 1923 in a farm near the city of Odate, Akita Pre-fecture, Japan. He is known in Japanese as Chuken Hachiko (faithful dog Hachiko). In 1924, Hidesaburo Ueno, a professor in the agriculture department of University of Tokyo took Hachiko as a pet, a golden brown Akita. During his owner's life, Hachiko greeted his at the end of each day at nearby Shibuya station where Ueno used to go to the University by train. The pair continued like this until 20 May, 1925. But on 21 May, while giving a lecture in the University, he died of cerebral hemorrhage. Ueno, born on 19 January, 1872 in Tsu city, Mie, Japan, and died on 21 May, 1925, and never returning to the station where Hachiko was waiting. Each day for the next 9 years, 9 months and 15 days, Hachiko awaited Ueno's return, appearing precisely when the train was due at the station. This attracted the attention of other commuters. Many of the people who frequented the Shibuya station had seen Hachiko and professor Ueno together each day. Initial reactions from the people, especially from those working at the station, were not necessarily friendly. However after the first appearance of the article about him on 4 October, 1932 in Asahi Shimbun (Japanese newspaper giant), people started to bring Hachiko treats and food to nourish him during his wait.

In 1932, one of the Ueno's students Hirokichi Saito—who saw the dog at the station and followed him to the home of Kikuzaboro Kobayashi, the former gardener of Ueno, where he learned Hachiko's life history.

He started to visit Hachiko and over the year published several articles about the dog's remarkable loyalty. In 1932 one of these articles, published in the Tokyo Asahi Shimbun, placed the dog in the national spotlight. Hachiko became a national sen-sation. His faithfulness to his master's memory impressed the people of Japan as a spirit of family loyalty that all should strive to achieve. Teachers and parents used Hachiko's vigil as an example for children to follow. Eventually Hachiko's legendary faithfulness became a national symbol of loyalty, particularly to the person and institution of the Emperor.

In 8 April, 1934, a bronze statue in his likeness was erected in Shibuya station and Hachiko himself was present at its unveiling. The statue was recycled during World War II, and in 1948 the Society for Recreating Hachiko's statue commissioned Takeshi Ando. After the recreation of the statue, a dedication ceremony occurred.

Hachiko died on 8 March, 1935 and was found on a street in Shibuya. After his death, his body was cremated and his ashes were buried in Aoyama cemetery, Minato, Tokyo where he rests beside his beloved master, Professor Ueno. Hachiko's fur which was preserved after his death, was stuffed and is now on permanent display at the National Science Museum of Japan in Ueno, Tokyo. Each year on 8 April, Hachiko's devotion is honored with a solemn ceremony of remembrance at Tokyo's Shibuya station. Hundreds of dog lovers often turn out to honor his memory and loyalty.