What can you see in these two pictures? As you can see, these are strollers and wide variety of clothes, but they’re not pictures taken in Nishimatsuya(西松屋) or other children’s goods store. These pictures are actually taken in a pet shop in Japan. Now, you find that these goods have been produced for animals such as dogs or cats kept as pets.
Today, pets are getting more and more popular in Japan, which is quite noticeable as you see Japanese people walking their dogs on the streets or in the parks every day. In fact, the number of dogs kept as pets exceeds that of children under 15 years of age in Japan. People are likely to seek for a kind of healing effect in having pets. Now, the pets tend to be regarded as a member of family rather than an animal. Therefore, people take care of their pets by dressing them nicely or going out with their pets put in strollers as if dogs were their babies. One of the reasons why the small sized dogs(小型犬: kogataken) are especially popular is probably because that people want to let their dogs stay indoors as a member of their families. I think the dogs are downsized to fit the limited living space of Japan.
I think that this pets boom has something to do with a declining birth rate which is one of the recent serious problems in Japan. Japanese people are substituting pets for their babies and they seem to be satisfied with their pets. Quite a few people who have pets don’t feel attraction for having their real babies. The dogs might join a resident registrations network in the near future.
Today, pets are getting more and more popular in Japan, which is quite noticeable as you see Japanese people walking their dogs on the streets or in the parks every day. In fact, the number of dogs kept as pets exceeds that of children under 15 years of age in Japan. People are likely to seek for a kind of healing effect in having pets. Now, the pets tend to be regarded as a member of family rather than an animal. Therefore, people take care of their pets by dressing them nicely or going out with their pets put in strollers as if dogs were their babies. One of the reasons why the small sized dogs(小型犬: kogataken) are especially popular is probably because that people want to let their dogs stay indoors as a member of their families. I think the dogs are downsized to fit the limited living space of Japan.
I think that this pets boom has something to do with a declining birth rate which is one of the recent serious problems in Japan. Japanese people are substituting pets for their babies and they seem to be satisfied with their pets. Quite a few people who have pets don’t feel attraction for having their real babies. The dogs might join a resident registrations network in the near future.
3 件のコメント:
Interesting and timely subject. The pet boom seems to be lasting longer than other booms in Japan. Nice links to provide the reader with more information.
I wonder if you might want some sort of introductory post or text somewhere so that readers understand what your blog is about.
-scf
Japanese people are drawing up wills for their pets. What do you think about this?
http://www.japantoday.com/jp/quote/2458
Interesting post, especially since my host family seems to fit right in with this. We have two very small dogs, and yes, when we take them for walks, they get "dressed up" in little outfits, and except for walks, they stay inside.
It was especially interesting to read that "In fact, the number of dogs kept as pets exceeds that of children under 15 years of age in Japan."
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