The beginning of the new year is not only an occasion for many people in Tokyo, Japan to go to temples and pagodas to pray for good luck for themselves and their families, but also for their pets.

The shrine visited by people who bring their pets to pray for good luck is Ichigaya Kamegaoka Hachimangu, in Tokyo, Japan. According to Stratstimes, this practice started in 2000 and this place always welcomes hundreds of visitors to pray for talismans for dogs and cats, especially at the beginning of the new year.

When arriving at the temple, the dogs and cats are dressed in beautiful, colorful clothes by their owners and then led into the ceremony. However, not everyone can enter the temple, the owners must register in advance and have their name on the list to have the opportunity to lead their ‘little friends’ inside to be blessed.

Masaki Kaji, a temple priest, said that Ichigaya Kamegaoka Hachimangu Shrine’s practice of praying for peace and good luck for pets comes from the requests of animal lovers. “Many people tell me that they want to be blessed with their pets,” he said, adding that the number of visitors is increasing every year, showing that pets are gradually becoming an important member of the community. families in Japan.