Cats, dogs receive blessings in Japan as part of unique coming-of-age tradition
[Source]
Pets took center stage at a Shinto shrine near Tokyo this week to receive blessings from priests in a tradition originally observed for children.
What happened: Pet owners traveled to Inuneko Jinja (Dog-Cat Shrine) within the Zama Shrine in Zama, Kanagawa Prefecture, on Tuesday to have their beloved fur babies blessed for the tradition known as Shichi-Go-San, which translates to Seven-Five-Three. The Zama Shrine in Tokyo first established the Inuneko Jinja in 2012.
About the tradition: Shichi-Go-San is originally a coming-of-age tradition for children celebrated in mid-November across Japan. Parents take kids aged 3, 5 and 7 to Shinto shrines to have them blessed by a priest, offering prayers for a healthy and happy future.
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Not just for kids: Like with children, pet owners dress their fur babies in traditional clothing during the ritual. They also line them up for picture-taking at the ceremony.
Zama Shrine priest Yoshinori Hiraga, 33, told Reuters that they expected to see 120 pets this season. A similar event was held in Miyazaki City, Miyazaki Prefecture, on Saturday.
Declining birth rate: The pet version of Shichi-Go-San underscores the growing number of Japanese people preferring animal companions over children. Today, Japan continues to face declining birth rates; its health ministry recorded 1.26 in 2022, down from 1.30 in the previous year and significantly lower than the 2.06 to 2.07 rate required to maintain a population, as per AP News.
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“The number of children is decreasing each year, and as a result, more and more people are pouring their love into their dogs and cats,” Hiraga said.
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