Paw Print Keepsakes in Japan
A print has to be taken while your pet is still with you, or before cremation, so a little planning helps. Here's how to get a clear paw print in Japan, who can take it for you and what finishing it costs.
- Nose prints and fur clippings too
- Keep a scan so the original stays home
- Options that serve Japan
Japan
Paw Print Keepsakes in Japan: what to know
In Japan, as elsewhere, families increasingly keep a print even when they choose communal cremation or a simple burial. It's affordable, and it works whether or not ashes come home. If cost is a worry, start there: making one at home is cheap, and you can decide on finishing it, or not, much later.
In Japan, most families arrange aftercare through their vet, who works with one or more pet crematoria. Prints are commonly offered but not always mentioned, so it's worth asking by name. You can also take a print yourself at home, which gives you full control over timing and the number of copies.
We cover 18 communities in Japan, from Tokyo, Yokohama and Osaka to smaller towns.
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Pick your state or region to see every community we cover there, or jump straight to one of the largest cities.
How Japan thinks about cremation, and why prints matter
Cremation is the norm for people in Japan (about 99.97%[1] of deaths), and pet crematories there tend to offer a long menu of extras: paw prints, nose prints, fur clippings, name plates, photo urns. It's easy to feel you ought to say yes to everything. You don't have to. Pick the one or two things you'll actually look at in five years' time. For many families, that's a clear print and a small lock of fur.
The cremation figure for Japan comes from Cremation Society of Great Britain, International Cremation Statistics 2023 (2023). It counts people, not pets, so treat it as a guide to local attitudes rather than a pet statistic.
Where the money goes: the print, then the finishing
In Japan, many pet funeral companies offer a farewell ceremony, individual cremation and an urn as one price. If a paw print isn't listed, ask whether they can take one before cremation. For comparison, a Singapore provider lists private cremation at SGD 280 for a cat under 5 kg[2], and a US crematory network charges $49 for ink paw prints[3].
In some Asian cities, the public route leaves nothing behind. Hong Kong's government, for instance, advises owners that a bagged animal can go to a refuse collection point, from where it goes to landfill[4]. Any keepsake, including a print, then depends on you or a private provider. If cost is the worry in Japan, a home print costs very little and can be taken before you decide anything else.
| Place or item | Published price | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Tokyo, individual cremation, pet under 5 kg | JPY 22,000[5] | Tax included; ask about a print |
| Singapore, private cremation, cat under 5 kg | SGD 280[2] | Niches extra |
| Hong Kong, individual cremation, 1 to 5 kg pet | HKD 1,300[6] | Basic package |
| Paw print add-on (US median, for comparison) | about $32[7] | No published local price found |
None of the figures on this this page are ours alone: they rest on Singapore Pet Columbarium and Tokyo Animal Memorial Park (東京動物霊園).
Free tool
Memorial budget planner
Add up cremation, urn, keepsakes and a farewell so the total holds no surprises.
What the law in Japan does and doesn't cover
Rules in Japan say a good deal about where a pet can be buried and very little about how a crematory keeps track of each animal. That's one more reason to take your own print: made before collection, it's a record you created yourself. Ask your provider how pets are tagged, and read the burial and scattering notes below for the rest.
In Japan, pet funeral companies often sell packages with a short ceremony, cremation and an urn, and some include a paw print or fur keepsake. Ask for a nikukyu (paw pad) print before cremation if it isn't listed. During the humid rainy season in early summer, air-dry clay can take much longer to harden, so dry it indoors with a dehumidifier or air conditioning.
Your paw print plan for Japan
- Take a breath. If your pet has just died at home, there is usually time for a print in the first few hours. Lay them on a towel in a cool room.
- Gather what you need: clay warmed in your hands, or card taped to a board with a pet-safe ink pad, plus a damp cloth.
- If the leg has stiffened, bring the clay to the paw. Ease it onto the pads with light pressure; don't try to push the foot down.
- Take a nose print too if you'd like one, with a light touch of ink or an inkless wipe.
- Call your vet or crematory once you're done, and mention that you've already taken a print so they don't need to.
- Let the print dry indoors, away from heaters and sunny windows, before you frame or post it anywhere.
Turning a print into something lasting
Some families bring the print out once a year, on the anniversary or on the day their pet came home, and add something new: a photo, a pressed flower, a note from each person. Over time the box or frame becomes a record of how the family carried the memory. If an anniversary hits harder than expected, you're not alone; in RSPCA research on pet loss, 66.9%[9] of owners were surprised by how intense their grief was.
The services page compares what each option includes, the planning tools turn your animal's details into figures, and the poll results show what other families chose. All locations lists every region we cover.
Reader polls
What would you choose?
Vote anonymously and see how other readers answered. The results are live counts from people who visit this site, so they show real opinions, not a scientific sample.
What worries you most about taking a print yourself?
Tap an answer to vote and see how others answered. Anonymous.
Who would you rather take the print?
Tap an answer to vote and see how others answered. Anonymous.
If you had to decide today, which aftercare would you choose for your pet?
Tap an answer to vote and see how others answered. Anonymous.
Free tools to help you plan
Memorial budget planner
Add up cremation, urn, keepsakes and a farewell so the total holds no surprises.
Paw print keepsake chooser
Match a print method to your pet's size, fur and the keepsake you want to keep.
Jewelry ash capacity guide
How much ash fits in pendants, rings and glass, and how many pieces one pet can fill.
Questions people ask
Are there rules about paw prints in Japan?
No. You can take, keep, post and display a paw print, cast or ashes pendant freely. The rules in Japan cover burial and scattering, which matter if you plan a garden stone set with the print or want to scatter ashes after keeping a pinch for jewelry.
Where can I get a paw print keepsake in Japan?
Across Japan, most vets, in-home euthanasia vets and pet crematories can take a clay or ink paw print, usually before cremation. You can also take one yourself at home with a kit. For jewelry, engraving or art, local makers and online studios both work from a clear print or a scan. Ask for the print when you book aftercare, not afterwards.
How many communities do you cover in Japan?
We have local paw print keepsake guides for 18 communities in Japan, including Tokyo, Yokohama and Osaka. Each page covers timing, weather, local prices and how to ask your vet or crematory for a print.
Can I get a hoof print from a horse in Japan?
Yes. Ask your farrier to trim and clean the hoof, then press it into a thick clay slab or paint the sole with non-toxic paint and press it onto heavy card. Many horse owners also keep the last shoe and a braid of tail hair. Do it while your horse is still well if you can.
What do other owners in Japan choose for a paw print keepsake?
We don't publish made-up figures on that. We do run short, anonymous polls on what readers chose, from clay discs to engraved jewelry, and you can see the live results. They count one vote per person and aren't a scientific survey, but they give a feel for how other owners decided.
Can my vet in Japan take a paw print before cremation?
Almost always, if you ask in time. Mention it when you book the appointment or the cremation, ask for it on the aftercare form and ask to see it before your pet leaves. If the vet can't, the crematory can usually take one at intake. After cremation, it's too late.
Sources and our estimates
- [1] In 2023, 99.97% of deaths in Japan were cremated (1364 crematoria). Cremation Society of Great Britain, International Cremation Statistics 2023, 2023.
- [2] The same Singapore provider lists private cremation at SGD 280 for a cat under 5 kg and SGD 480 for a 10-20 kg dog; columbarium niches start at SGD 300 for the first year with SGD 180 yearly renewal. Singapore Pet Columbarium - Prices, 2026.
- [3] Final Gift charges $49 for ink paw prints, $76 for a clay or silver-clay paw print, $111 framed, and $133 framed with a fur clipping; a fur clipping alone costs $23. Final Gift Pet Memorial Center – Memorial Products, 2026.
- [4] Hong Kong's government advises owners may bag a dead animal marked 'dead animal' and take it to an FEHD refuse collection point, from where it goes to landfill. Hong Kong Government 1823 - How to handle the body of dead animal?, 2025.
- [5] Tokyo Animal Memorial Park charges JPY 14,300 for communal and JPY 22,000 for individual cremation of a pet under 5 kg (tax incl.). Tokyo Animal Memorial Park (東京動物霊園) - Price list, 2026.
- [6] A Hong Kong provider lists basic individual cremation at HKD 1,300 for a 1-5 kg pet and HKD 3,000 for a 20-30 kg dog. PETMENTO (Hong Kong pet funeral provider) - Pet funeral price list, 2026.
- [7] Paw-print add-ons at US crematories have a median price of about $32, from $10 to $76. Our estimate: median of [$10 clay (AGP), $15 laser engraving (AGP), $49 ink (Final Gift), $76 clay (Final Gift)]. How we calculate.
- [8] Published ashes-return times across the network's markets range from same-day (paid express) to about 4 weeks; a conservative typical window is 3-14 days. Our estimate: min/max across sources: Lambeth 3 days; US 5-10 days; RSPCA QLD within 14 days; AniCura Sweden 2-4 weeks. How we calculate.
- [9] 66.9% of respondents were surprised by how intense their grief was after losing a pet. RSPCA — Pet Loss Survey Results, 2026.
Get paw print options in Japan
Tell us what you need and where you are. We'll reply by email with clear options and prices so you can decide in your own time.