Content Warning: This section of the guide includes discussion of death and animal death.

What is the significance of loyalty in Hachiko Waits? Which characters display loyalty? Discuss how each main character shows their loyalty in a different way.

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?