Pet Travel in Japan: Accommodation, Restaurants, Pet Supplies, & Sightseeing Restrictions
If you plan to explore Japan with your pet you’ll be pleased to know that Japan is quite pet-friendly--the only issue is that if you do not already reside in Japan, getting your pet into the country can be a whole ordeal in itself as you must follow Japan’s import/export process to avoid having your pet quarantined.
When planning my trip to Japan, I had a ton of questions about pet laws but was struggling to find concrete information, especially when it came to cats. I was fortunate to receive some helpful advice from followers on Instagram as well as fellow cat explorers who had previously visited Japan. Ultimately, you’ll find that the laws surrounding pets in Japan are not very consistent and whether or not your pet is allowed somewhere will vary from place to place and sometimes your entry into a location is determined by whether or not the security person likes cats or not.
How do you find pet-friendly accommodation in Japan?
If you’re planning to visit Japan, then one of the first steps is finding somewhere that is pet-friendly. If you are traveling with a dog, you should be able to find quite a few options as there are many hotels that offer dog-friendly accommodation.
Unfortunately, Japan has not yet taken to the idea that cats can also travel as most “pet-friendly” hotels have written rules stating that only dogs will be allowed and other species are not welcome. Cat owners will have an easier time exploring major cities that have international hotel chains like Hilton or Marriott as they are known to have pet-friendly policies that allow pets of different types.
For most of my time in Japan I found it was easier to book accommodations through Booking.com or Airbnb as you can filter for pet-friendly homes and most hosts didn’t bother asking if I had a cat or dog. The few times that I did bother to ask in advance, many hosts were more than willing to let me have a cat.
While I can’t suggest actually doing this, it is also possible to sneak a pet into a hotel or vacation rental that isn’t pet-friendly if you know what you’re doing. I’ll admit to having done this once during the trip when I had no other options, but I won’t give you tips on how to do it as usually there are reasons for why pets aren’t allowed. If you get caught trying to sneak a pet into a hotel, expect to be turned away unless you find somewhere else to store your pet for the duration of the stay. We found that Japanese hotels were never willing to bend the rules when it came to pets, so don’t show up thinking you can convince the staff or simply pay an extra fee to get accepted (as is sometimes the case in North America).
If you have your eye on a particular accommodation that isn’t pet-friendly, you can always check your pet into a local pet hotel if you think that’s something they can handle. Most places will allow for overnight stays for up to a week, and the pricing is usually reasonable at $40-60 a night. Many of these places will feed your pet according to your schedule, play with your pet, and some even offer daily walks for dogs. I would recommend always visiting the pet hotel in person to scope out the cage/room setup as some are simply just rows of cages with mixed animals which can be super stressful for pets that aren’t socialized.
Is transportation in Japan pet-friendly?
We found it very easy to get around Japan while with Reinhardt as public transportation is fairly pet-friendly if you have a smaller sized pet. Regular trains and the shinkansen both allow for pets inside carriers, although some trains will require you to pay a small fee, usually 200-300 yen. If I’m honest, I never figured out how to pay this fee and was also never asked to pay, so you may be able to get away with purchasing a normal ticket and hopping on board.
When it comes to buses, small pets are also allowed on board when they are inside a carrier. One thing to keep in mind is that the seats on Japanese buses tend to be more cramped than North American buses, so if you have any extra luggage you’ll have a tough time also carrying a pet carrier.
If trains and buses aren’t your thing, then you can rest assured knowing that most taxi drivers are willing to drive you when you have an animal. Just be mindful if they turn you away as there may be allergy issues.
If you have any plans in Japan that require you to fly, it’s important to know that none of Japan’s airlines allow for pets to fly in-cabin.
Where can you find pet supplies and food when in Japan?
In Canada, pet stores are typically known to sell pet supplies and pet food while adoption centres are the place to visit if you are hoping to purchase a pet of your own. In Japan, if you search for “pet store” on Google maps you are likely to be shown shops that sell live animals rather than supplies and food. Instead, try to search for “pet supply stores” or “ペットショップ” if you are hoping to purchase any cat supplies like cat litter or toys, although be prepared to be shown specialty shops that sell expensive imported goods from brands like ORIJEN, Tiki Cat, or ZiwiPeak.
The pet supply stores were often more expensive than I would have liked ($20 for a single pair of claw trimmers?!) and so I often opted to visit major grocery stores to purchase cat litter and cat food. I found the most reliable grocery store to be Life as there was one in every major city and the selection of treats, toys, food, and cat litter was always better than other stores. I also was able to maintain Reinhardt’s raw diet while in Japan because this grocery store supplied all the necessary items like chicken liver and hearts, chicken wingettes, and a variety of raw meat options.
Other options are to check out home centers which often sell basic pet supplies or to order food through Amazon if you are planning to stay in one area for an extended period of time. Occasionally, you’ll find that some convenience stores also sell a limited amount of pet food, although typically they only offer fish-based products which may be a problem if your pet is used to eating chicken or beef.
When it came to purchasing cat litter, I found that Lion Odor-Absorbing Cat Litter was similar to what we use at home and readily available at many stores. Reinhardt was also a big fan of the Ciao wet food and cat treats on days.
Are restaurants in Japan pet-friendly?
Most restaurants in Japan are not pet-friendly, although we found that many cafes or locally-owned shops were willing to bend the rules and allow pets if you asked nicely and as long as the pet stays inside a carrier. Typically, we would get seated a bit further from other patrons which was totally fine for us. Since there is always a possibility that you will get turned away, make sure you have a backup plan or two.
In every city we visited there were a handful of restaurants that were pet-friendly and some even had pet menus, although these were almost always catered to dogs. Despite most places being dog-friendly, we found that cats were just as welcome at these restaurants and more often than not, workers would excitedly come to visit our table to say hello to Reinhardt. We found that most restaurants that have outdoor seating spaces are also open to allowing pets, so that’s always an option if the weather is nice.
To find pet-friendly restaurants, you can just search “pet-friendly restaurant” into a map app and then scan the reviews or check the About information for restaurants that pop up. I also always do a quick online search for “pet-friendly restaurant in [Name of City]” and find quite a few results each time.
Can pets enter shrines and temples in Japan?
Unfortunately, the answer to this question is just “it depends”. Many shrines and temples allow pets to enter the grounds if they are leashed or in a carrier, but they will not allow pets to enter indoor spaces. Some places will forbid pets entirely, but if this is the case there will often be a “No animals” sign at the entrance.
If you have a pet stroller, you may be allowed to access even more areas as I noticed several people with dogs were allowed to enter areas where pets were not allowed. You can always try to research in advance as some major locations will have a FAQ section or general park information that states whether pets are allowed or not.
Are pets allowed in Japanese parks, gardens, and castle grounds?
Most parks in Japan were pet-friendly which was a relief to discover while trip planning. The only exception were parks that contained flower gardens or protected wildlife, and even then there were sometimes one or two pet-friendly dedicated walking paths.
When it came to gardens, I found that pets were more likely to be prohibited, probably because the pathways are narrower and most likely they don’t want pets digging up the plants. Some gardens will allow pets if they remain in their carrier, so again you’ll need to do some research beforehand or check the entry signs.
I found that many castles allowed pets to enjoy outside the castle, but they were never allowed to enter into the castle. If the castle came with an official castle garden, pets were also prohibited from entering these spaces even when inside a carrier.
There are quite a few pet owners in Japan and most people seem to react positively to animals. Japan is actually one of the better places to explore with a cat despite its many crowds. People are more polite and will often ask to take photos or videos unlike other countries where people will try to grab Reinhardt without asking or silently follow me around while taking videos. Many locals and even other tourists would stop us while we were walking in the streets to ask for photos or to inquire about Reinhardt’s breed, so it was a refreshing difference.
Overall, it seems as long as you make an effort to follow rules, aren’t disrupting other people, and your pet appears to be visibly happy, you can expect to have a great time traveling in Japan with your pet!
Also, thank you to the following people on Instagram for helping me when I was getting started with trip planning:
Reinhardt’s final remark: ffcfrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr
