When I was 3 years old, more than a half-century ago, our American family moved into a traditional Japanese house on the outskirts of Tokyo. Our landlord and neighbors were scandalized that we wore our shoes inside and kept our large Labrador retriever indoors on the tatami mats.
Over five decades later, shoes are still forbidden but dogs are welcome indoors in most canine-owning Japanese households. Japanese cities abound with prams containing pampered lap dogs allowed to run free in dog-friendly cafes and houses.
