Paw and nose prints in Yokohama: a calm guide
A paw print is the one keepsake you can't order later. Here's how owners in Yokohama capture one at home or at the clinic, keep it from cracking or smudging, and have it made into something lasting.
- Ask for a print when you book
- Help for paws, noses and hooves
- We reply by email, no obligation
Yokohama, Kanagawa
Arranging a paw print around Yokohama
Many temples in the Yokohama area accept pet ashes into shared memorial vaults or hold services for animals, and some families place part of the ashes there while keeping the rest at home. If you'd like to do both, ask for a small portion to be set aside in a keepsake urn or pendant before the main urn is sealed. A paw print pressed in clay before cremation is another lasting keepsake.
Yokohama's port heritage gives some families a connection to the sea, and a memorial with a nautical touch, like an anchor charm or a small urn glazed in ocean blue, can reflect a life spent near the harbor. Scattering ashes at sea has its own rules and etiquette, so check first. Keepsake jewelry and fur lockets are small ways to keep a pet close during a busy commuting life.
Many households in Yokohama rent, move often or have more than one pet. Prints travel well: a sealed clay disc or a framed ink print moves with you, while a garden burial can't. If you have two or three animals, consider taking all their prints on the same afternoon, while everyone is well. It turns a sad job into an ordinary family project and means nobody is left out later.
With roughly 3,724,000 residents, Yokohama is the largest of the 2 Kanagawa communities we cover.
Families in Yokohama often end up using a provider from Kawasaki (7 miles), Setagaya (14 miles) and Tokyo (16 miles, a larger centre). That is normal: crematories serve a radius, not a single town, and the drive is priced into collection.
99.97%[1]
In 2023, 99.97% of deaths in Japan were cremated (1364 crematoria).
~$32[2]
Paw-print add-ons at US crematories have a median price of about $32, from $10 to $76.
3-5% of body weight[3]
Embrace notes cremated remains typically weigh about 3-5% of the pet's original body weight.
How Japan thinks about cremation, and why prints matter
Cremation is the everyday choice in Japan: about 99.97%[1] of people who die there are cremated. Pet aftercare tends to follow the same habits, which means most pets here end up as a small box of ashes. Ashes don't show a paw, a nose or the shape of a toe. That's a big part of why prints matter so much in high-cremation places, and why local crematories are so used to being asked for one.
That Japan rate is a human one, published by Cremation Society of Great Britain, International Cremation Statistics 2023 (2023). We quote it for Yokohama only as a pointer to how families here already think about cremation.
Heat, humidity, cold and drying times
If you're thinking of an outdoor memorial in Yokohama, such as a garden stone with your pet's print pressed in, the weather decides when to make it. Concrete doesn't cure well in frost or fierce heat. Take the print now in clay or ink and keep it indoors, then make the stone in a mild month when the ground is workable.
What owners in Yokohama typically pay for a print
Hong Kong shows how packages are built: one provider lists basic individual cremation at HKD 1,300 for a 1 to 5 kg pet[4], with extras added on top. A paw print is typically one of the least expensive extras. Wherever you are, ask providers in Yokohama to price the print separately so you can compare fairly.
We keep the detailed Kanagawa price table on one page so it stays current: see Kanagawa prices.
Free tool
Memorial budget planner
Add up cremation, urn, keepsakes and a farewell so the total holds no surprises.
What the law in Kanagawa does and doesn't cover
Paw prints sit outside most regulation, but the aftercare around them doesn't. Your local council or city, and the wider rules for Kanagawa, may limit burying a pet at home and scattering ashes in public places. Check the notes below before you plan a garden memorial with your pet's print pressed into it.
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.
A short checklist for a clean print
- 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. Press it gently onto the pads rather than forcing the paw 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 afterwards, and let them know a print has already been made so they can skip that step.
- Let the print dry indoors, away from heaters and sunny windows, before you frame or post it anywhere.
Ways families in Yokohama keep a print close
Yokohama homes range from compact apartments to hillside houses, but most families keep memorials small: a compact urn on a shelf, a photo and a few favorite treats, much like a home altar. If you'd like an outdoor memorial, a small stone or plaque on a balcony or garden corner works well. Choose weatherproof materials that handle humidity and typhoon rain.
use the free tools before you ring anyone, or see how other readers answered in our polls, Compare every option on our services page, go deeper with the guides or catch up on recent articles. More local pages: Kawasaki, the Kanagawa overview and every city in Japan.
Reader polls
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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
How do Japan attitudes to cremation compare?
Cremation Society of Great Britain, International Cremation Statistics 2023 (2023) puts the Japan human cremation rate at about 99.97%[1]. We show it on the Yokohama page because pet aftercare choices tend to track it: where cremation is normal for people, communal and private pet cremation are both easy to find.
Can a provider from a neighbouring town collect from Yokohama?
Usually yes. Kawasaki is about 7 miles away, Setagaya is about 14 miles away and Tokyo is about 16 miles away, all inside a normal collection radius. Get the mileage written into the quote so there is no surprise on the day.
Can my pet's paw print be turned into a tattoo?
Yes, and it's a popular choice. A tattoo artist will want a clear, high-contrast flat print, so an ink or inkless print works better than clay. Scan it at a high resolution and bring the file to your consultation. Many people have the print tattooed at actual size, sometimes with the pet's name or a nose print alongside.
Will the crematory send the paw print back with the ashes?
It depends on the provider. Some take the print at intake and return it with the ashes; others hand it to your vet or post it separately. Ask how the print is labeled and when it will come back, and ask for a photo of it before cremation so you know it's clear. If you'd rather not wait, take your own before collection.
Will my vet or crematory take a paw print before cremation?
Most will if asked, and many include a clay or ink print in the package. But requests can be missed on a busy day, especially at emergency clinics. Mention it when you book, ask for it to be written on the aftercare form and ask whether it comes back to you that day or with the ashes. Once your pet has been cremated, the chance is gone.
Can I take a paw print or an ashes pendant through customs?
Paw prints in clay or on card are simply craft items and need no paperwork. Ashes are different: some countries and airlines ask for the cremation certificate and prefer ashes in hand luggage, in a container that can be screened. Carry the certificate from the crematorium, keep any jewelry holding ashes in your carry-on and check the airline's and the destination's rules before you travel from Yokohama.
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] 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.
- [3] Embrace notes cremated remains typically weigh about 3-5% of the pet's original body weight. Embrace Pet Insurance - Bury or Cremate Your Dog? Costs, Pros & Cons, 2025.
- [4] 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.
- [5] Around 765,000 U.S. families a year are likely open to a personalized pet keepsake. Our estimate: 1.5M pet cremations x 51% interest in personalized memorials. How we calculate.
Ask who takes paw prints in Yokohama
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.