The Japanese ethos is perfection. This perfection is mirrored in every area of their culture, including their pets. Mid Town Tokyo has a popular store named dogdays that cater to the care, feeding, and indulgence of dogs and the egos of  their owners. A Pet Station  in the store sells organic dog food, with many shapes of dog biscuits displayed as if in a pastry shop. The Spa has a list of treatments in the grooming department that leave each pet perfectly coifed. As much fun as watching the professionals grooming the dogs behind the glass walls, was the sight of their owners, nervously awaiting the finished product and their tiny pets. This is dog heaven! In Shinjuku, a most intriguing store carried little outfits for dogs, with various sized stuffed dogs available for guesstimating the correct size. There were racks and racks of well-designed baby-sized and smaller garments for all types of small dogs. Henry and I were in stitches when we saw the array of doggy outfits, and decided we just had to send a Halloween costume to little Lucy, Bobbie Foshay’s precious and very fluffy long-haired miniature dachshund. Bobbie is obviously a very good tailor, because she made the slightly too-small costume fit by snipping away a few straps here and there, and voilá, Lucy morphed into a bumble bee! When we were in Tokyo, the sidewalks were crowded with elegantly dressed and well-groomed dogs trotting beside their elegantly dressed and well-groomed owners. It was an amusement and  a true pleasure to be surrounded by such fun, care and unearthly perfection!

PHOTOS: Left Column: 1. The Trimming Spa list of Dog Days, a shop at Midtown Tokyo, catering to dogs and their owners.  2. Trying on the Bee costume as a guesstimate to Lucy’s size. 3. Lucy dressed for Halloween in Santa Fe as a Bumble Bee. Center, Top: Sign for Dog Days a Midtown Tokyo. Center, Bottom: The Pet Station at Dog Days. Dog food and dog accessories are on the menu. Right Column: 1. A groomer completing the spa treatment of a miniature poodle at Dog Days. 2. In the Harajuku shop, two other tourists were delighted by their find of this fun and fascinating shop. Samples of doggy beds are on the top shelf in the background.

Photo Credit: Left Column #3: Lucy dressed as a Bumble Bee courtesy of Bobbie Foshay.

JOURDAN ARPELLE-ZIEGLER                                            BACK TO MAP PAGE