Too Luxurious for a Dog Home? Inside the Lavish Retirement Home Where Senior Dogs Live in Style

Some cases cost more than ¥2.1 million in six months

In a residential neighborhood of Adachi Ward, Tokyo, there is a luxury senior-dog home called “Senior DOG Heim.” The building has an extravagant exterior reminiscent of a luxury hotel, with a huge chandelier hanging in the entrance. There are large statues of dogs and horses, leather sofas, and tabletop lamps designed to look like candles.

According to the “2025 National Survey on Dog and Cat Ownership,” there are currently approximately 6.82 million pet dogs being kept in Japan. Their average life expectancy is 14 to 15 years, and many require nursing care during the final few months of their lives. Senior-dog homes were established as facilities specifically designed to care for elderly dogs. Among them, “Senior DOG Heim” is a high-end facility at the very top of the luxury category. Noriko Asakawa, the company’s president and CEO, showed us around the facility.

The first thing that catches the eye is the luxuriousness of the rooms where the senior dogs stay. Each room is decorated with Gothic-style sofas, lace curtains, and wallpaper featuring predominantly gold designs. The ultimate attraction is a private room dedicated to taking photos of the dogs, designed to make them photo-worthy. The interior is changed almost every month, with lavish furniture and decorations arranged according to the season, including Halloween, Christmas, and New Year’s. Asakawa explains:

“For the dogs, chandeliers and paintings certainly don’t have any particular meaning. However, in running this business, we need to differentiate ourselves from other senior-dog homes. We make the interior this luxurious primarily so that customers will take notice of us in the first place.”

The price of services at “Senior DOG Heim” varies depending on the dog’s size and level of nursing care required. For example, for a large dog weighing 15–20 kg requiring moderate care, the monthly accommodation fee is approximately ¥230,000, while nursing-care fees are around ¥120,000. Food, medical expenses, and other costs are charged separately, meaning the total can exceed ¥2.1 million over six months. (Long-term discounts are available, such as 10% off for stays of five nights or more.)

So what kinds of people use senior-dog homes? Asakawa explains:

“Among dog owners, there are people who become unable to care for their pets because they are elderly or ill, as well as younger people who are so busy with work that they simply don’t have the time to provide nursing care for their pets. Generally, these people search online and find us. We have clients from all across the greater Tokyo area.”

Many owners are deeply devoted to their pets, loving them as if they were their own children. Perhaps these owners entrust their dogs to such facilities because they want them to receive the best possible treatment. Just as with nursing homes for elderly people, those who have the financial means can place their beloved pets—who are considered part of the family—in more expensive and comfortable facilities.

Serina Takei, one of the staff members caring for the senior dogs and a veterinary nurse for companion animals, says:

“Our clients look not only at the quality of the facilities but also at the quality of the services. Many people may feel that our prices are high, but we strive to provide attentive, comprehensive care that is worth the cost.”

[Part 2] Not Just Walks and Meals, but IV Drips and Bedsore Prevention, Too—Everything Provided at This Luxury Senior-Dog Home

 

From the September 25, 2026 issue of “FRIDAY”