No Greater Love for Dogs than the Japanese

Dogs - Messengers of God

Deep-rooted in Shinto (the indigenous religion of Japan), animals are considered messengers of the gods. Dogs, being fiercely loyal and protective are often seen as guardians. Speaking of loyalty, one dog in particular, ハチ公 Hachiko was a legendary loyal Akita Inu who waited for his owner at a train station every day, even after the owner passed away. This story has made Hachiko an icon and national treasure in Japan. The statue as pictured in Shibuya is a must-visit for any dog lover, and for every season or holiday, you’ll catch a glimpse of the famous Hachiko statue donned in the most appropriate attire.

A Dog is Like A Child

In Japan, because of their love for dogs, with a steeply increasing aging population in single-person households, their dogs are more than their pets. They offer emotional companionship and comfort and are looked upon as their child. Like any other doting parent, the dogs are then loved so greatly that some might even say they are treated better than some human kids with better outfits and even food!

Here is a gorgeous Shiba Inu in a pram wearing a cap, just chilling at a night festival in Shibuya.

The Japanese Celebrate Dogs

This comes as no surprise that the Japanese celebrate all events with their dogs. Birthdays, Gotcha Anniversaries, and they are a part of all other human celebrations too. As a result, the culture is huge, shopping malls allowing dogs, cafes, and more specifically cafes serving food primarily for dogs, spas, luxury pet hotels, and doggy daycare and you’re bound to see many dogs in strollers as you wander the streets of Japan. Speaking of the streets of Japan, there are some icons like Nobuaki Moribe the infamous dog walker in Yoyogi/Harajuku. He is often seen walking up to 25 dogs at once! It's been part of many tourists' travel itineraries to take his picture with the many dogs!

You can follow Nobuaki Moribe on Instagram and witness him boasting about walking the many dogs as part of his service in Japan.

Make it stand out

There are so many famous Shiba Inus and other dogs online, one of our favourites is Kantaro San who walks around Japan with his Shiba Inu San Chan!

You can follow the journey of Kantaro San and San Chan the Shiba Inu pup as we watch her grow up.

And if you just love Shiba Inus in general, you can follow Kuro Chan on TikTok as well.

In anime, manga, and TV shows, dogs are also very popular, often portrayed as brave, cute, noble, and of course again, fiercely loyal. The Shiba Inu has always been their national treasure, one of Japan’s native breeds that almost went extinct post World War 2. What an almost disaster for one of Japan’s oldest dog breeds dating back to at least 300 B.C. and possibly even earlier. Thank goodness the Shiba Inu was officially declared a “Natural Monument” of Japan under the Cultural Properties Act. With this great honor comes the preservation of the breed. It is often confused with the larger Akita Inu. 

So, because Japanese love for dogs is basically a way of life, culture, and spiritual beliefs, it’s no wonder that, the Japanese love their dogs madly. And why not? We’re the exact same! Share with us your stories in the comments below.

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