In Japan, a significant cultural shift is occurring as pet owners increasingly view their animal companions as genuine family members.
This evolution has led to a rise in elaborate funeral ceremonies for pets, complete with Buddhist rituals, memorial services, and dedicated burial spaces.
As the bond between humans and their pets deepens, more Japanese pet owners are seeking meaningful ways to honor their departed animal companions and find closure through formal farewell ceremonies.
The Rise of Pet Funeral Ceremonies
The modern pet funeral in Japan closely resembles human ceremonies in both structure and sentiment. At Tokyo’s Kannoji temple in Setagaya Ward, a company employee recently held a funeral for her 16-year-old Labrador retriever.
The ceremony featured all the elements of a traditional human funeral: flowers adorning a Buddhist altar, a photo of the deceased, a willow wood coffin, and a Buddhist priest reciting sutras while family members prayed together.
“The dog was an important member of my family who had lived with me since its birth,” the woman explained. “I was horribly torn up about it, but I was able to send my pet off just as you would a human being.”
This ceremony was arranged through Setagaya Pet Saijo, a Tokyo-based company specializing in pet cremation services. Their funeral plan includes a ceremony, individual cremation, and bone collection, a service now performed 50-60 times monthly, with steadily increasing demand.
Costs and Options for Pet Memorials
Pet funeral services are available at various price points, typically based on the animal’s weight:
- ¥60,000 (approximately $400) for pets weighing 1-5 kilograms
- ¥80,000 (approximately $530) for pets weighing 25-30 kilograms
While group cremation remains an option for budget-conscious pet owners, an increasing number of people are choosing individual cremation with bone collection, mirroring human funeral traditions.
Beyond the Funeral: Ongoing Memorial Services
For many Japanese pet owners, honoring their deceased companions extends beyond the initial funeral. Monthly memorial services at temples like Kannoji attract dozens of participants marking significant Buddhist milestones, such as:
- The 49th day after death (considered spiritually significant in Buddhism)
- One-year death anniversaries
During these ceremonies, pet urns are placed on altars alongside photos and wooden grave markers (sotoba) bearing the pet’s name. Buddhist priests read out the names of the deceased pets and their owners before reciting sutras, after which attendees offer incense.
“It was a sudden parting, but I think this memorial service will lend me some closure,” said a 61-year-old man who buried his dog’s remains in the temple grounds after completing the 49th-day memorial ritual.
“Since other dogs that were my dog’s walking buddies are buried in the same place, I don’t think it’ll be lonely.”
The Changing Human-Pet Relationship
The evolution of pet funerals reflects a fundamental shift in how Japanese society views animal companions.
“Today, most dogs and cats are kept indoors and a sizable number of people regard them as members of their family, no different from their children,” explained an official from Japan Pet Ceremony.
“In the past decade, the relationship between owners and pets has grown much deeper.”
A 2023 survey by Suncelmo Co. found that about 40% of pet owners between ages 20-69 experienced grief after losing a pet. When asked how to overcome this grief, approximately 30% believed holding a funeral would help them feel no regret.
Elaborate Pet Ceremonies vs. Simplified Human Rituals
Hidenori Ukai, a journalist and Buddhist priest who has written about pet funerals, notes an interesting contrast: while human funeral ceremonies have become increasingly simplified, pet funerals have grown more elaborate.
These ceremonies often bring together not just family members but also friends who shared in the pet’s life.
“As owners spend more time with their pets and share more spaces with them, the psychological distance between them shrinks,” Ukai observed. “That has led to more thoughtful funerals for pets.”
New Services and Facilities
The growing demand has spurred innovation in the pet funeral industry. Heiankaku, an Aichi Prefecture-based company traditionally focused on human ceremonies, opened a dedicated pet funeral hall in Ichinomiya last year.
Their “yukan” ritual, in which the deceased pet is carefully cleaned before cremation, has proven particularly popular. The facility also includes an ossuary and mausoleum.
“The Japanese people have held religious rituals for natural objects and animals since ancient times,” explained Midori Kotani, a lecturer specializing in views of life and death.
“Today, there are many people who experience grief after the death of their pet. With more people wanting to bury their pets with care, there will likely be growing demand for funerals and burials.”
Navigating Pet Funeral Services
While deceased pets are legally classified as waste in Japan, this designation doesn’t apply when pet cemeteries handle cremation. However, with no specific laws regulating pet burials, procedures vary by service provider.
To address potential issues, the Nihon Dobutsu Sogi Reien Kyokai, an association of about 130 companies offering pet funeral services, conducts certification exams covering relevant laws and expertise.
Member companies must clearly disclose their fees and service details, helping pet owners make informed choices during their time of grief.
For many grieving pet owners, these ceremonies provide essential emotional support. As one woman who held a memorial service for her cat shared, “I had been weeping for my cat every day. I feel relieved now that I was able to hold the service for my cat.”
