Animal Cafes in Japan - Should You Visit?

Animal Cafes in Japan are definitely super popular! But it’s hard to say if they’re ethical or not. I saw lots of animal cafes during my time in Japan, including one for Shibu Inu puppies, cats, otters and more. I visited 3 different animal cafes, and here’s what you need to know.

Hedgehog Cafe

Located in the Harajuku district, the hedgehog cafe also has some hamsters and one meerkat. I only spent time with the hedgehogs who are definitely handled with care since you’re forced to wear gloves while holding them and can’t bring them out of their boxes. However, I wish they had more room than just a small box, and I felt like I was interrupting their sleep. The meerkat also seemed wrestless and wouldn’t let anyone come near him.

MiPig Cafe

Also located in the Harajuku district, the mini pig cafe offers both public and private experiences. If I were to do this experience again, I would probably opt for private because the baby mini pigs of the same litter stick together so one person might have 5 pigs on top of them for half an hour while other people don’t have any. However, the pigs were getting snacks and being kept with their litters so they seemed content both resting and running around.

Owl Cafe Chouette

I went to this cafe in Osaka as opposed to Tokyo, and it was my personal favorite. Only a few people are allowed in the room with the owls at a time. There are signs telling you which owls are ok to pet and where. The owls also get breaks and days off from taking photos. I asked if the owls ever get to fly, and they assured me that they do take the owl out and let them fly around.

All of these cafes include one free drink with admission.

Overall it’s hard to say whether these sorts of experiences are ethical or not because the animals all seemed to be treated well for the most part and this offers a rare opportunity to get up close with animals we would otherwise maybe never see in our lifetimes, and the best way to learn about them and care about their wellbeing is to spend time with these beautiful creatures.

What do you think about the animal cafes in Japan? Would you visit?

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