Hachiko Waits

Identify a few key aspects of Japanese culture as it is represented in Hachiko Waits. What techniques does Lesléa Newman use to convey these qualities? How would the story be different if it took place in another country?

Explore the significance of routine in the story. Which plot points disrupt the characters’ routines? What is the broader significance of these moments of unexpected change?

Discuss the role that friendship plays in Hachiko Waits. How does the relationship between Hachiko and Professor Ueno affect people around them? How does Yasuo’s friendship with Mr. Yoshikawa impact Yasuo’s life and development?

Yasuo takes on the huge responsibility of promising to look after Hachiko for the rest of the dog’s life. What factors contribute to Yasuo’s decision to undertake this responsibility? How do Yasuo’s duty and loyalty to Hachiko contribute to Yasuo’s development as he matures?

The deaths of both Professor Ueno and Hachiko affect many people around them. What actions does Yasuo take to cope with the deaths of the Professor and Hachiko, respectively? How does Mr. Yoshikawa cope with their deaths? How does the public respond to Hachiko’s death? What links these varying responses, if anything?

Hachiko never responds to anyone else with the same obedience and enthusiasm that he reserves for the Professor. How does Hachiko form and express friendships with Yasuo and Mr. Yoshikawa, and how are these different from the relationship he has with the Professor?

Conduct your own research on what Japanese culture was like in the 1920s through 1930s. Discuss the relevance of this background to Hachiko Waits. Why does Hachiko’s story resonate with the people of Japan at this particular moment in history?

Hachiko Waits is based on a true story. Research which aspects of the story are rooted in fact and which are fictionalized for the sake of the narrative. How do the fictional embellishments bolster the story’s main themes?