<P> Because of the declining birthrate and aging population in Japan, there are an increasing number of households in Japan with pets and no children . Since some families have no children, they instead pamper and lavish their pets like they would do their own children . Businesses in Japan such as cat cafes, dog spas, and restaurants that allow pets to sit down at a table and eat with the rest of the family have been booming since 2004 . Some pets in Japan even have the luxury of their own pet closets filled with expensive couture clothing from Chanel to Gucci designed specifically for pets . </P> <P> Pets in Japan are not only for companionship . Therapy dogs play a huge role in helping the disabled, comforting hospital patients, and as companions for the elderly . Some organizations in Japan, such as the Tokyo - based International Therapy Dog Association train dogs with no owners into therapy dogs and send them to various nursing homes and hospitals throughout Japan . One such dog was the basis for a 2004 film Walking With Dogs: Chirori and Tamaru, where the main character, Chirori, instead of being put to sleep, was discovered by a Japanese singer and was trained to help the elderly . The story of Chirori was so inspiring, there is now a statue in her honor . </P> <P> According to Japanese folklore, there is a darker side of pet spirituality in Shinto, known as the Inugami, which literally translates to dog god . Inugami are dark dangerous spirits which are conjured up through dark rituals involving the sacrifice of a common pet dog . In a way similar to shikigami, these rituals allow the dog's tortured spirit to be under the control of whomever summoned it . The Inugami can then be used by its owner to do their bidding and curse other people or even possess them and bring misfortune . The idea of this type of spirit could be linked to the fact that pets in Japanese culture were traditionally kept for utilitarian purposes as opposed to companionship . </P> <P> Japanese traditional folk religion and Buddhism have significantly influenced the death rites of pets, and their memorialization thereafter . To some extent, Western culture and Christianity have also made an impact . However, the aspects present in such procedures vary across Japan and rely heavily upon the beliefs, traditions, and circumstances of each individual family . </P>

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