- Japan Tips
11 Guilt-Free Animal Cafés In Japan & Tokyo
Whether you’re planning an upcoming visit to Japan – or have recently moved to the country – we’re sure you’ve heard about Japan’s abundance of incredible animal cafés!
Japanese animal cafés transform a simple lunch or coffee break into an exciting and immersive experience, allowing you to play with a range of cute animals and sample some excellent local food and drink.
However – if you’ve never been to an animal café in Japan – it can be difficult to know which ones to visit, as well as the proper etiquette to follow.
In this article, our team have put together this all-encompassing list of 11 guilt-free animal cafés in Japan and Tokyo, as well as the required etiquette, opening hours and other important information for each café!
11 Guilt-Free Animal Cafés In Japan & Tokyo
1. Dog Heart
Location: Tokyo
Animals: Dogs
Based in the popular district of Tomigaya, Dog Heart is perfect for dog lovers looking for a lively afternoon. The café consists of a large playroom – which houses the dogs – and a small café offering tea, juice and fizzy drinks.
The café features a wide variety of dog breeds, but mainly consists of toy poodles and beagles. The dogs at Dog Heart certainly aren’t shy, enthusiastically bounding up to visitors to be petted and played with. You’ll be provided with an apron by a member of staff upon your arrival, which is used to protect your clothing from the over-enthusiastic pups.
If you’d like to take one of the dogs for a walk around Yoyogi Park (based a few minutes away from the café), just let a member of staff know and they’ll let you rent a dog of your choice for an hour. Dog Heart offers 30 and 60-minute booking slots for the café, with dog rental carrying a minimum booking time of 1 hour.
Opening Hours: 11:00-19:00 Daily
Address: Tomigaya 1-45-2, Y’s Park Bldg 2F
Website: http://dog-heart.ico.bz/
2. Petton Café
Location: Kyoto
Animals: Dogs & Cats
Based on the second floor of the MOMO Terrace mall in Fushimi-ku, Petton Café serves as a perfect pit-stop for a busy day in Kyoto! The café features separate rooms for both cats and dogs, with separate booking slots applying for the respective rooms. Cat room booking slots start at 30 minutes, while dog room booking slots start at 120 minutes.
The dogs at Petton Café are renowned for being friendly and playful, while the cats are known for their sharp personality traits and intellectual demeanour. The café also boasts a fantastic menu, including a range of hot drinks, snacks, desserts and main courses.
It’s important to note that the food and drink menus differ slightly between the dog and cat rooms. For example; the dog room does not include a drink with your booking, whereas the cat room includes a drink with each booking. Therefore, it’s well-worth checking in advance of booking to ensure you bring enough cash.
Opening Hours: 10:00-20:00 Daily
Address: 32 Yamanoshita, Momoyamacho, Fushimi-Ku Kintetsu Department Momoyama Bekkan Petton 2F, Kyoto 612-8002 Kyoto Prefecture
3. Mipig Café Meguro
Location: Tokyo
Animals: Micro Pigs
Based across four different floors, Mipig’s Meguro-based Café is filled with friendly micro piglets. While the piglets are enthusiastic and attention-loving, they’re also a little more laid back in nature. This makes for a great middle-ground between the typical cat and dog cafés across Japan.
A visit to Mipig is a lot more formal and structured than your average visit to a Japanese animal café. Upon entering, you’ll be issued with a specific seating location and required to order at least one drink per person. Reservations are made online, with a minimum of 2 people being required to secure a booking. You’ll be sent a confirmation email upon booking, which you can show to a member of staff upon your arrival.
Reception is based on the first floor, where you’re sure to be welcomed warmly by both the staff and a micro pig or two. The main playroom is located on the second floor, housing sofas and floor cushions for you to enjoy your time at the café. The third floor is an office, which is mainly reserved for the café’s management staff. The fourth floor serves as the loft room, housing a second playroom as well as a balcony with outdoor seating.
Booking times start at a minimum of 30 minutes, with the ability to extend your stay by additional 30-minute intervals.
Opening Hours: 10:00-20:00 Daily
Address: Meguro 4-11-3, Meguro-ku, Tokyo
Website: https://mipig.cafe/en/locations/meguro/
4. America-mura Snake Café
Location: Osaka
Animals: Snakes
If you’re a snake lover, look no further than the America-mura Snake Café!
Based just a 15-minute walk from Sakuragawa Station, this reptile respite boasts dozens of snakes housed in well-maintained terrariums. However, it employs a strict set of rules to ensure the welfare of the snakes, including no loud noises and a complete ban on flash photography.
The café features a dedicated team of snake handlers, who will let you hold a snake of your choice during the course of your visit. Many of the snakes are also available for purchase, making it a perfect destination if you’re looking to keep reptiles as pets.
The menu boasts a fun mix of novelty, jungle-themed items, including fermented drinks made from queen bees, scorpions and snakes. If you’re looking for a highly entertaining and unusual animal café, the America-mura Snake Café definitely isn’t to be missed.
Opening Hours: 10:00-22:00 Daily
Address: 1-8-11 Nishishinsaibashi 4F Yajima Bldg., Chuo, Osaka 542-0086 Osaka Prefecture
Website: https://americamura.snakecafe.xyz/
5. Small Animal Café Rock Star
Location: Osaka
Animals: Multi-Species
If you’re looking for an animal café with a diverse range of small animals, then Small Animal Café Rock Star should be at the top of your list!
Based in the busy ward of Chuo, this café features hedgehogs, hamsters, gophers, rabbits, meerkats and more. If you spot an animal you’d like to pet, just let a member of staff know and they’ll be able to bring the animal over to you. The animals are very used to human interaction and enjoy being petted – especially the bunnies!
This café takes a much more liberal approach than many other animal cafés in Japan, allowing you to spend a few hours in the café and being able to swap animals as often as you’d like.
The café charges an entrance fee of approximately ¥1000 and requires customers to order a minimum of one drink. However, the menu features a diverse range of reasonably-priced snacks and drinks, making for an entertaining and enriching afternoon in Chuo.
Opening Hours: 11:00-22:00 Daily
Address: 6-7 Nambasennichimae 5F Tsuji Bldg., Chuo, Osaka 542-0075 Osaka Prefecture
Website: http://smallanimal.rock-star.xyz/
6. Loutre
Location: Kyoto
Animals: Otters
If you’re up for visiting a truly unique animal café in Japan, look no further than Loutre! Based in Kyoto, this spacious café is home to a group of lively otters, whom the owner takes home each night.
The café is made up of a spacious main seating room, with a large tank that houses the otters. There’s also a small playroom full of toys and bedding, which is primarily used by the otters.
Time at the café is charged by the hour, with a minimum booking time of one hour. Each hourly slot includes a complimentary drink, ensuring excellent value for money.
While you can pet the otters, feed them from a bottle and play with them using the toys provided, picking them up is discouraged. As otters are a very active and energetic breed of animal, Loutre is perfect if you’re looking for a more immersive animal café experience.
In order to keep the otters safe, the café features limited seating and retains an open plan feel, so we’d recommend booking in advance to ensure you secure seating during your visit.
Opening Hours: 12:00-20:00 Daily
Address: 259-1 Shikibucho Teramachidori Rokkaku Sagaru, Nakagyo-Ku Funaki Bldg. 2F, Kyoto 604-8061 Kyoto Prefecture
Website: https://www.loutre-kyoto.com/english/
7. Moff
Location: Tokyo
Animals: Multi-Species
This large café is home to a wide range of different animals, including cats, bunnies, squirrels, hedgehogs and various species of bird and reptile.
Entry stands at approximately ¥1000, with the café operating a self-service soft drinks bar in which you can help yourself to unlimited drinks for an additional ¥200 charge. This works particularly well if you’re on a budget or simply looking to get maximum value for money! There’s plenty of seating available inside the café – including chairs and stools – while still retaining an open plan feel to allow guests to interact with the animals freely.
If you’d like to feed the animals, there’s also a chow counter where you can purchase treats. Simply let a member of staff know which animal you’d like to feed and they’ll recommend the most suitable chow, while also walking you through how to feed each animal.
There’s no time limit in place, though we’d recommend setting aside at least an hour to ensure you’re able to spend time with each species of animal the café has to offer.
Opening Hours: 10:00-20:00
Address: Chiba, Chiba-shi, Mihama-ku, Toyosuna 1-5, Aeon Mall Family Mall 3F
8. Harry Wood
Location: Osaka
Animals: Hedgehogs
If hedgehogs are your thing, you absolutely have to visit Harry Wood Café!
This modern hedgehog café is based in the heart of Osaka and is accessible by major transport links, situated just a six-minute walk away from Namba station.
Harry Wood allows you to stay for either 30 minutes (for around ¥980) or 60 minutes (for around ¥1,880). All visits include a complimentary drink and you will be assigned a hedgehog, who will be in a cage next to your seats. The modern interior is decorated with various hedgehog-themed items, including porcelain models and cuddly toys, making for a truly immersive experience!
If you’d like to feed your hedgehog, bottles of hedgehog food can be purchased from a member of staff, who will also walk you through the feeding process. The café also offers an excellent set menu system, which includes drinks, hedgehog food and instax photography.
Opening Hours: 12:00-19:00 (Mon-Fri), 11:00:20:00 (Sat-Sun)
Address: Namba Kiyomi Bldg 3F 2-8-4 Sennichimae, Chuo-ku, Osaka
Website: http://www.cafeharrywood.com/
9. Falconer’s Café
Location: Tokyo
Animals: Birds of Prey
Falconer’s Café is an unmissable pit stop for bird-lovers. Based on the West side of Tokyo, this wonderful café is dedicated to birds of prey, including hawks, falcons and owls. While there’s no entry fee or time limit in place, it’s common to stay for anywhere between 20 minutes and 60 minutes.
In addition to an excellent selection of drinks, the café also boasts a fantastic food menu, consisting of curries, ginger-friend pork and cinnamon toast. This makes it an excellent choice for breakfast or lunch with an avian twist, ensuring a memorable meal!
The café is popular amongst Tokyo’s bird community, with customers often bringing in their own pet birds. The regulars – as well as the staff – are very knowledgeable and passionate about birds, so don’t hesitate to ask if you’d like to learn more about a particular bird!
The café also operates a popular bird shop, selling frozen bird food as well as maintenance equipment, including swivels, leads and bells.
Opening Hours: 12:00-19:00 (Wed-Sun)
Address: Shimorenjyaku 5-1-8, Mitaka-City, Tokyo
Website: http://falconerscafe.web.fc2.com/english.html
10. Owl Café Akiba Fukurou
Location: Tokyo
Animals: Owls
Continuing on with the avian theme, Owl Café Akiba Fukurou serves as one of Japan’s largest owl cafés. The café houses a family of 40 owls, including eagle owls, barn owls and more.
The cosy interior features a modern white and pastel-blue theme, with the owls dotted around the café either on the furniture or dedicated perches. Classical music and crystal chandeliers make for a relaxed and calming atmosphere, making Owl Café Akiba Fukurou one of the more laid-back animal cafés on this list.
If you spot an owl you like, simply let a member of staff know and they’ll be able to perch the owl on your arm. You’re also able to change owls at any point by letting a member of staff know, who will be able to handle the owls for you.
Bookings are offered in hourly slots and include a professional photograph with an owl of your choice. The café is reservation-only and offers limited seating, so we’d recommend booking well in advance of your trip to Japan to ensure you’re able to visit!
Opening Hours: 12:00-19:00 (Daily – closed on Tuesdays)
Address: 67 Kanda Neribeicho Akiba Fukurou Bldg. 1F, Chiyoda 101-0022 Tokyo Prefecture
Website: https://akiba2960.com/
11. Kingyozaka
Location: Tokyo
Animals: Goldfish
If you’re a fan of fish and aquariums, Tokyo’s Kingyozaka is the perfect place to visit!
This particular café has a rich history, having started as a goldfish shop during Japan’s Edo period over 350 years ago. The café itself is a more recent addition to the premises – having been opened in 2000 – though the shop has been owned by the same family over the course of its entire existence.
The café hosts over 40 species of goldfish, housed in various aquariums around both the café and the adjacent shop. Visitors can also browse through the adjacent goldfish shop and farm, offering activities such as goldfish scooping and traditional carp fishing.
Kingyozaka has a particularly excellent food menu, including traditional Japanese dishes such as black beef curry as well as Oyakodon. We’d recommend opting for one of their excellent set menus, which feature a selection of platters and a cup of Japanese tea!
Opening Hours: 11:30-21:30 (Daily – closed Mon)
Address: 5-3-15 Hongo, Bunkyo-ku Tokyo
Website: http://www.kingyozaka.com/
Closing Thoughts on Animal Cafés in Japan
We hope you enjoyed our list of the best animal cafés in Japan and Tokyo! If you’re looking for more animal café recommendations, be sure to check out our upcoming list of the best cat cafés in Japan next!
Alternatively – if you’d like to learn more about dining in Japan – why not check out our all-encompassing guide to dining etiquette in Japan?