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Dog Friendly Activities in Japan

Don’t leave Fido in the hotel room when you’re on vacation. Get out and play! No matter where you’re headed in Japan, we can point you towards the nearest off-leash dog park, the most popular dog beach, a really great hiking trail, and lots of other places to play with Fido.

Pet Friendly Yoyogi Park dog run

Yoyogi Park dog run

Yoyogi Park dog run

Off-leash dog run in the back of Yoyogi Park divided into two secitions for large and small dogs.

Pet Friendly Hachiko Statue

Hachiko Statue

In 1920’s Japan, Hachiko the Akita accompanied his best friend, Hidesaburo Ueno, to the Shibuya Train Station in central Tokyo every day. Hidesaburo would get on the train and go to work as a professor at Tokyo University and Hachiko would wander home, only to return at the same time every evening to walk home together. One such evening, the loyal Akita went to the train station as usual and waited patiently at his spot outside. Minutes turned into hours, but there was still no sign of his owner. Hidesaburo never arrived. Sadly, the professor had passed away earlier in the day and never caught the train home. Every morning and evening for the rest of his life, Hachiko returned to the station just in case his best friend ever came back. A decade later, he passed away peacefully outside Shibuya Train Station of old age, waiting until his final breath for his friend Hidesaburo to return. Hachiko’s story will live on forever as a statue outside the station, proving the bond between humans and their dogs can never be broken.

Cape Zanpa

Take Fido for a leisurely and scenic stroll at Cape Zanpa in Okinawa, JP. The area offers multiple pet-friendly walking paths with grassy areas and views of Zanpamisaki Lighthouse, the tallest lighthouse in Okinawa. Please note that dogs are not allowed inside the lighthouse and must remain on a leash on the trails.

Okinawa Comprehensive Park

Kitanakagusuku, JP

Okinawa Comprehensive Park

With a variety of activities scattered over its 174 acres, Okinawa Comprehensive Park in Kitanakagusuku, JP has enough to keep you busy all day. The recreational area offers multiple pet-friendly walking trails, biking paths, ponds and more. You and Fido can purchase a box of fish food and feed the carp. Dogs must be leashed within the park.

Sunabe Baba Park

Sunabe Baba Park

Bring Fido out for a day of fun at Sunabe Baba Park, a dog-friendly recreational area in Chatan, JP. Enjoy walking paths, sporting fields, a playground, grassy areas and more. Sunabe Baba Park connects to a small beach where Fido is also welcome. Please note that dogs must remain on a leash within the park and at the beach.

Ueno Park

Ueno Station is an urban oasis in Tokyo. The park is a mecca of culture, art, wildlife, natural beauty, incredible architecture, and of course, cherry trees! Thousands of people (and dogs) gather in the park during cherry tree season to celebrate the beautiful pinkish-red blossoms that brighten the sky. Throughout the park, you’ll also see beautiful shrines and temples.

Torii Beach

Torii Beach is a dog-friendly beach located on a US Army Installation in Okinawa, Japan. Leashed dogs are free to wander on the sand, as long as they are well-behaved and cleaned up after. You'll also find bathroom facilities and campgrounds for rent on-site. Pets participating in water activities such as paddleboarding and boating are allowed to be off-leash, however, this does not include wading in the surf.

Honmoku Sancho Dog Run

Honmoku Sancho Dog Run

Small but lively dog park in Honmoku Sancho Park, on the hill behind Baytown shopping center. Temperament test and registration (including proof of vaccinations) is required at the first visit.

Mejirodai Sports Ground Dog Park

Mejirodai Sports Ground Dog Park

Small Dog park at edge of sports ground. Dogs do need to be pre-registered (proof of vaccine) before you can use it. Registration at the park building.

Pug Cafe Living Room

Pug Cafe Living Room

The Pug Cafe Living Room in Kyoto is a dog cafe where you can have a snack with 12 pugs. You can also visit with pets. Admission includes one drink, one human treat, a dog snack set and one hour inside for a fee of 1.200 yen on a normal day.

Aqua City Odaiba

Aqua City Odaiba

Aqua City Odaiba is a modern, dog-friendly waterfront mall in Minato City, Tokyo, JP. Fido is welcome to join you for shopping and dining but must be leashed, secured inside a carrier, or in a pet cart if weighing under 20 kgs. Retailers which welcome canines include PETEMO, Pet Paradise, and Pet's First. Stop for refreshments at pet-friendly eatery Longboard Cafe. Owners with leashed dogs should use the parking lot elevator to move between floors. Pet carts can be rented from PETEMO for a period up to three hours.

Hakone Ropeway Sounzan Station

Hakone Ropeway Sounzan Station

Hakone Ropeway Sounzan Station is a dog-friendly cable car which transports visitors to the top of Hakone Mountain in Japan. Hakone Ropeway accepts dogs as long as they are secured in a carrier (not carried in your arms or a stroller). Visitors with dogs can also drive to the peak if your pet is too big for a carrier. Once you arrive, be sure to share a black egg that’s boiled in the hot springs with your dog. It’s said to add 10 years to your life.

Lake Ashi Pleasure Boat Moto-hakone Port

Lake Ashi Pleasure Boat Moto-hakone Port

Lake Ashi Pleasure Boat Moto-hakone Port offers dog-friendly tours near Hakone, JP. Leashed dogs are welcome aboard a catamaran where you can settle inside or admire 360-degree views of Lake Ashi from the large observation deck. Seats on the ship are unreserved. Those seated at the front of the boat on the first floor will see all the operations of the captain in the cockpit. Front seats on the second floor offer a 180-degree view of stunning lake and mountain scenery.

Zojo-ji Temple

Within the grounds of dog-friendly Shiba Park in Minato City, JP lies Zojo-ji, a Buddhist temple surrounded by ornate buildings dating back to the 1600s. Zojo-ji is one of the seven main temples of the Jōdo-shū sect and was founded by Yuyo Shoso. Leashed dogs are welcome outside the temple and to explore the beautiful landscaped gardens which comprise Shiba Park.

Shiba Park

Leashed dogs are welcome to join you at Shiba Park in Minato City, one of the oldest parks in Japan. Take a stroll through this picturesque landscaped park and stop to admire the artificial gorge with waterfall, which is planted with ornamental trees. Within the grounds of Shiba Park lies Zojo-ji, a Buddhist temple surrounded by ornate buildings dating back to the 1600s.

Nara Park

Bring Fido with you to visit one of the oldest parks in Japan. Located at the foot of Mt. Wakakusa, Nara Park is a community recreation area in central Nara that welcomes you and your pup to stroll through the open space where you'll see world-famous temples and the renowned free-roaming deer.

Todai-ji Temple

Todai-ji Temple

Todai-ji Temple is a dog-friendly attraction in Nara, JP. The temple is known for the Kongo Rikishi statues in the Great South Gate, and the Great Buddha of Nara, a Vairocana Buddha which is almost 50 feet tall and is one of the largest Buddha statues in Japan. Walk the grounds with Fido and visit the wild deer that roam the property.

Kasuga-taisha

Kasuga-taisha, or the "Kasuga Grand Shrine," is a a dog-friendly attraction in Nara, JP. The shrine was constructed in 768 CE for the Fujiwara family and has been rebuilt multiple times over the centuries. Its known for its bronze and stone lanterns that are lit twice a year during two Lantern Festivals, one in early February and one in mid August.

Japan