With its string of pastel pink beads and sparkly diamante clasp, the necklace would not look out of place in any Tokyo fashion store.
However, this is no ordinary jewellery: Mixed inside the small clay beads are the cremated remains of deceased pets.
A new company has been launched in Japan specializing in allowing bereaved owners of deceased pets to immortalize their ashes in the form of necklaces, bracelets, picture frames and even lamps.
The innovative new service perfectly reflects the nation’s growing obsession with all things pet-related: As Japan’s birth rate continues to dwindle, the nation is instead increasingly bestowing its love, affection and finances on the growing pet population.
From dog yoga to cat cafes, there are few human activities that have not been extended to include domestic animals in Japan’s pet-loving society.
