[Sangetsu]

I believe there are now more pets in the metro Tokyo area than there are children. Pet stores, grooming shops, and pet accessory shops are everywhere, and all convenience stores carry pet food and such.

Unfortunately, people in Japan like to dress up their dogs as much as they like to dress up themselves, and many (if not most) pet dogs will wear shirts or sweaters of some type. I've dogs with Louis Vuitton or Coach leashes, which is hilarious.

There are many restaurants now which serve people and pets, coincidentally I visited such a place just the other day. There is food for both people and their dogs (or cats). It's interesting, but maybe a little too much.

Another interesting thing is how many people in Tokyo take their cats with them to the park or beach, or other places. Cats don't take well to leashes, but I've seen them being walked with them.

The most popular dog in Tokyo is still the miniature Dachshund, followed by the miniature poodle, and the Yorki. Big dogs are not that common, but you occasionally see labradors, or golden retrievers.