Well, that didn't go very well. The first part of the hike is up Goryu ski resort. They are open for the summer mountain flower display that they have up there. I walked within eye site of the top gondola station and a guy was out the window telling me no dogs allowed. I told him no problems, I was just passing through the resort on my way higher. I kept going. He runs out to tell me no dogs at all in the mountains. We discussed this as best I could. It was 8am and was on a mission and struggled to remain polite. He was in now position to tell me what I was allowed to do in the mountains, he was just a Goryu employee. But boy, he was adamant, wouldnt back down at all. In the end I was left with two choices:

1. shrug my shoulders and arrogantly walk past him to continue on my way looking like a pig headed gaijin doing what ever I wanted to do. That's not really my style.
2. go home and head back up another way tomorrow. Still being a pig head gaijin doing what I want, but without the conflict and bad vibe associated with dismissing this guy and continuing the hike.

I was pretty frustrated as I walked off but managed not to come across like too much of an agro gaijin. I can understand that dogs in national parks isn't great. But where I was going isn't a nature reserve. I can also understand that dog shit along very busy hiking trails is also not so great, and the Goryu hiking trail area is an easy access old persons hiking area. He was going on about manners, using that annoying katakana substitute for the word. Taking a dog is bad manners. I spend a lot of time in these local mountains, do you know how may times I have seen human shit on the side of the trail or near camping areas? Its everywhere come late spring. My dog is very good at finding it. Also, so far this spring I have collected about 10 beer cans from the trails and summits. The Japanese pick and choose which rules they follow and how they follow them and seem to readily break hem when individual identity can be hidden or when the chance of being caught in the act is low. I think I can learn from that and will simply go up an uncrowded and unseen alternative route that cuts 10km of the round trip (but requires me to drive about 20mk)

This also re-affirms by decision to stay the hell away from ski resorts as much as I possibly can, 365 days a year. They think they own the mountains, yet create nothing better than theme parks at low altitude and nanny style administration. I hope the oil crisis and associated global recession sends one or two of them bankrupt.

That's so sad that they wouldn't allow you to hike with your dog.
Like you say humans are so much dirtier. I saw so much construction and human waste in the mountains of Japan. The worste I ever experienced was walking down-wind from a burning barrel that was getting rid of the toilet paper in the hut bathrooms.

It's rules like that, that force gaijin to openly flaunt them.

I'd probably have turned around for a short time and then bushwhacked around the problem area

is this a japanese-only trait in your opinion?