newsweek.ro/international/japonia-animalele-de-com

In Tokyo, pets like Yorkshire Terriers and a Shiba Inu were blessed during a festival traditionally for children, reflecting Japan's declining birthrate. The Shichi-Go-San festival, which celebrates children aged three, five, and seven, has seen a shift as more owners bring their pets for blessings. At Ichigaya Kamegaoka Hachimangu temple, pets were dressed in traditional kimonos and photographed against the shrine backdrop. A priest performed purification rituals and prayers for the animals, highlighting changing cultural practices amid demographic challenges.