Pet culture in Japan
[1] As early as the Heian period in Japan (794–1185), cats were highly valued and considered rare treasures, often exchanged among the upper class as luxury items akin to precious jewels.
He described the cat's deep ink-colored fur and meticulously noted its behaviors, such as its tendency to curl into a circle when resting and its hunting practices.
Domestic dogs living at home did not make their appearance as house pets until much later, since breeds such as the Akita originally were used for guarding and hunting.
[5] Birds such as the varied tit (山雀 yamagara) were kept due to their song, also at Shinto shrines and for popular entertainment during the Edo period.
The list of goldfish varieties includes species such as the Chinshurin, Izumo Nankin, Jikin, Hana fusa, Oranda, Ranchū, Ryūkin, Shubunkin, Shukin, Tamasaba, Tosakin, Wakin, and many others.
[11] The natural conditions in Japan give rise to a large number of different insects, who thrive especially during the summer season when foliage is lush and rain and humidity levels high.
This position within the family is presented through various forms within the everyday flow of contemporary life, spiritual expression, memorialization, and burial rites of Japanese pets.
Providing a convenient way for companionship without having the demands that a child would, pets are a popular alternative for people who do not have the time required to raise a baby.
Although it is not by any means definitive, studies reflect a trend showing that adopting pets into the family in lieu of children has become increasingly common.
Although Japan's crowded environment makes for a not so pet-friendly country, Japanese have found ways to incorporate their pets into their everyday lives.
Businesses in Japan such as cat cafes, dog spas, and restaurants that allow pets to sit down at a table and eat with the rest of the family have been booming since 2004.
Although there are some examples of pets being memorialized and given posthumous names during the mid-nineteenth century, there are few records of such efforts and those that exist have been attributed to the elite samurai class.
[24] The concept of vengeful spirits comes from the belief that “small animals such as cats and dogs were believed to be able to travel freely between the here-and-now and the afterworld, and to possess the power to wreak spiritual vengeance (tatari) on people”.
Buddhist practices, specifically ancestral memorialization, have directly influenced the death rites and rituals performed for pets in Japan.
[17] Some individuals claim that it is indeed possible, through proper care during life and correct memorialization after death, for a beloved pet to eventually be reborn as a fellow human, thus making enlightenment achievable.
However, most "actual practices reinforce boundaries that place pets in a marginal position and delineate their liminal status within human society".
