Paw Print Keepsakes in Tokyo
Whether your pet is a healthy senior or has just died, there's usually still time for a print. Here's the calm, practical version for Tokyo: what to do first and what can wait.
- Nose prints and fur clippings too
- Keep a scan so the original stays home
- Options that serve Tokyo
Tokyo, Japan
Paw Print Keepsakes in Tokyo: what to know
Once a print is safely made, Tokyo offers plenty of ways to finish it: local engravers, jewelers, ceramic studios and tattoo artists, plus online makers who work from a scan. There's no rush. Keep the original at home, photograph it flat in daylight and decide what you'd like when you're ready.
If you're in Tokyo, the two things that most affect a paw print are timing and weather. Timing, because a print must be taken before cremation or burial, and collection can happen quickly. Weather, because heat cracks air-dry clay, humidity keeps it soft and frost can ruin plaster. Plan for both and you'll almost always get a clear print.
We cover 3 communities in Tokyo, from Tokyo, Setagaya and Minato.
Every Tokyo community we cover
Choose your city or town for local prices, weather and timing, and rules. 3 communities in Tokyo, largest first below.
Ashes, graves and the print that comes first
Because Tokyo cremates about 99.97%[1] of the people who die there, many families have no grave to visit, for people or for pets. Something has to take the place of a headstone, and a print does that job surprisingly well. It's physical, it's unmistakably your animal, and it can hang by the front door or sit on a desk. If you plan to scatter the ashes, the print may be the only memorial you keep.
The cremation figure for Tokyo 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.
What paw print keepsakes cost in Tokyo
In Japan, by our estimate about 85% of owners who state a preference want an individual pet funeral rather than a joint one[2], and packages there often include keepsake options. Even communal cremation of a small pet at one Tokyo memorial park costs JPY 14,300[3]. Wherever you are in Asia, check with providers in Tokyo that a paw print is listed among the package contents, and ask to see an example.
Pet funeral providers across Asia usually sell packages, and some include a paw print, a fur clipping or a small keepsake. We haven't found reliable local prices for prints on their own. For context, a Tokyo memorial park charges JPY 22,000 for individual cremation of a pet under 5 kg[3]. Ask providers in Tokyo exactly what their package covers.
| Place or item | Published price | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Tokyo, individual cremation, pet under 5 kg | JPY 22,000[3] | Tax included; ask about a print |
| Singapore, private cremation, cat under 5 kg | SGD 280[4] | Niches extra |
| Hong Kong, individual cremation, 1 to 5 kg pet | HKD 1,300[5] | Basic package |
| Paw print add-on (US median, for comparison) | about $32[6] | No published local price found |
The numbers above come from Singapore Pet Columbarium and Tokyo Animal Memorial Park (東京動物霊園), if you'd like to read the original sources.
Free tool
Memorial budget planner
Add up cremation, urn, keepsakes and a farewell so the total holds no surprises.
What the law in Tokyo 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 Tokyo, 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.
How to make sure a print is taken in time
- For a horse, have the farrier out beforehand to trim the hoof and tidy it up. Clean the sole thoroughly and let it dry.
- Press the hoof into a thick slab of clay laid on a board, or paint the sole with non-toxic paint and press it onto heavy card. Have someone hold the foot steady.
- Keep the last shoe and a length of tail or mane hair, since plenty of owners later have the hair plaited or cast in resin.
- For a bird or a very small pet, use very soft clay or inkless paper and the lightest pressure. Tiny toes show best in clay.
- For a fluffy cat or rabbit, go inkless so nothing ends up on fur they'll wash later; for rabbits especially, clay captures the long, narrow foot well.
- Dry and store every print indoors, and photograph it so a maker can work from the image.
Remembering your pet through their print
A garden stone with your pet's paw pressed into it is a lovely outdoor memorial, especially where they used to lie in the sun. Make it from the clay print as a template, or ask a local stonemason to engrave the scanned image. Our guide to displaying prints and engraved tags has more ideas.
Next: see what each choice includes on services, run your own numbers in the tools, check the poll results, or pick another area from all locations.
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.
When did (or will) you take your pet's print?
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If you had to decide today, which aftercare would you choose for your pet?
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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
Can children help make a paw print?
Often, yes, and many find it helps. Let them roll the clay, pick the frame or add their own handprint next to the paw. When the print is made after death, a vet or another adult can take it privately and show them the result. There are age-by-age ideas in our children's print-making guide.
Where can I get a paw print keepsake in Tokyo?
Across Tokyo, 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.
Can I get a hoof print from a horse in Tokyo?
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 if my pet is cremated far from home?
In rural parts of Tokyo, pets are often cremated in a larger town some distance away. Take the print locally before collection, yourself or through your vet, so you can check it. Many crematories also take one at intake as a backup and return it with the ashes.
Is it better to use a local maker in Tokyo or order online?
Either works. A local jeweler, engraver or ceramic studio lets you see samples and hand the print over in person. Online makers usually work from a photo or scan, so the original stays at home. Ask for a proof before production and check the turnaround time.
Are there rules about paw prints in Tokyo?
No. You can take, keep, post and display a paw print, cast or ashes pendant freely. The rules in Tokyo 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.
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] Among Japanese owners expressing a preference, roughly 85% prefer an individual pet funeral over a joint one. Our estimate: 60 / (60 + 10) = 0.857 (using the lower bounds '60%+' and '10%+'). How we calculate.
- [3] 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.
- [4] 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.
- [5] 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.
- [6] 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.
- [7] The typical sterling silver pet cremation pendant costs about $190, based on the middle of three sellers' price points. Our estimate: median of [Urns.com median $129, Memorials.com midpoint of $87.95–$297.95 = $193, Final Gift sterling paw pendant $240]. How we calculate.
Get paw print options in Tokyo
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