Shichi-go-san (meaning seven five three) is a rite of passage for Japanese children. Boys aged three and five and girls aged three and seven are taken to a temple or shrine on November 15th to pray for their continued health and growth. The children are dressed in their best traditional wear and receive auspicious sweets with special meanings.

One shrine in Tokyo is offering the ceremony, not just for children, but another demographic altogether. Now animal lovers can also celebrate the age milestones of their pets as Ichigaya Hachiman shrine in Shinjuku are accepting reservations for pet shichi-go-san.

Some pet owners just take their furry friends as they are, but others see it as a great excuse to get them decked up in kimonos and traditional Japanese accessories.

Any ceremony is also probably going to include an adorable photoshoot to immortalise the memories.

Although some religions may see it as disrespectful to have an animal take part in its ceremonies meant for humans, when it comes to religion, Japan can be quite flexible. Another recent example is the funeral rites that were performed for robot dogs. Pets (and even sometimes robot pets) become part of the family and an important part of our lives, so why not have a celebration of their health and growth too?