When planning my trip to #Japan with my two little ones, I spent countless hours researching family-friendly activities. Everywhere I looked—whether on travel blogs, social media, or forums—animal cafes seemed to top the list. These cafes, where you can sip a coffee while your kids snuggle with animals, sounded like the perfect opportunity for a memorable, kid-friendly adventure. And like any mom, I wanted to give my children an experience they'd cherish forever.
Well, it's an experience I’ll never forget, but not for the reasons I had hoped.
#AnimalCafes in Japan, are supposed to be very different than other countries. These cafes offer a unique experience where visitors can spend time with animals (dogs, cats, pigs. owls, and other exotic animals), especially if they can’t keep them at home or feel lonely. Most of these cafes follow a similar format where customers purchase a drink from a vending machine. This purchase allows them to spend a specific amount of time (anywhere between half an hour to two hours) with the animals holding them or snuggling them in their laps.
Why Did I Want to Visit an Animal Cafe in the First Place?
The idea of visiting an animal cafe was thrilling at first. Japan is famous for its quirky and unique takes on everyday activities, and animal cafes seemed like a great way to introduce my kids to animals up close. Reviews from other families talked about how much fun their kids had, holding animals they might never encounter in their daily lives. So, I went ahead and booked two of the most recommended spots: Harajuku Kawaii Zoo and a Cat Cafe in Akihabara.
What unfolded next was both heartbreaking and eye-opening.
Harajuku Kawaii Zooland Experience
First Impressions:
The minute we stepped into the #Harajuku #Kawaii Zooland, our excitement turned to unease. We walked into a small room with multiple enclosures around the perimeter. Right away, something felt off—the air was thick with an unpleasant smell, and the overall atmosphere felt tense. The first red flag hit me when I saw the animals.
There were ferrets in an enclosure, one hedgehog hiding inside a warm blanket, one red fox (I know right?), one exotic wild monkey in a cage (not to be touched), and a capybara (which passed away recently). You could pet them, hold them, and take pictures with the animals.
The hedgehog was labeled “shy,” and while we were given gloves to touch it, it was obvious that the poor thing wanted nothing to do with us. My kids barely saw his head popped out once.
The capybara, which the cafe was heavily marketed around, had passed away, leaving his area empty and desolate. This was a significant letdown, as we had been looking forward to seeing and interacting with the capybara.
Unsettling Experiences
One of the most disturbing aspects was seeing a fox at the cafe. I didn't even know you could have a fox in an animal cafe. The little fox was either sleeping or drugged to sleep. My guess is the latter. It was heartbreaking to see such a wild and energetic animal in such a condition. I couldn’t shake the feeling that I had contributed to this animal's misery by supporting such a place.
I couldn’t shake the feeling that I had contributed to this animal's misery by supporting such a place.
The ferrets were another source of concern. They were wild, pacing up and down in their enclosure, clearly distressed. They hated being held, and as soon as you picked them up, they would start looking back at their enclosures, desperate to return. The ferrets even scratched my kids while trying to escape their hold and wanting to go back to their enclosures.
The cafe smelled like a petting zoo, and there were little directives given as to how to handle the animals. The lack of guidance and the apparent distress of the animals made the whole experience deeply uncomfortable.
Inhumane Conditions
It was inhumane, and anyone could see that the animals do not like interacting with humans. Even though we were the first visitors of the day, most of them seemed exhausted and disinterested when we came in. The animals appeared stressed and unhappy, and it was clear that they were not comfortable with the constant interaction with people.
Purchasing tickets
Given the hype of animal cafes online, we ended up purchasing the tickets in advance which turned out to be a mistake. If you purchase online, the minimum time starts from one hour, which locks you for a long time of uncomfortable and distressing environment
If you purchase tickets in person, the time starts from 30 minutes, which is more manageable but still not ideal.
Overall Experience at Animal Cafe- Kawaii Harajuku
The atmosphere was tense, and the animals seemed to be in a constant state of anxiety. It was clear that the cafe prioritized profit over the well-being of the animals. We were so disappointed coming here and bringing our kids into this unethical cafe where animals were in distress.
Cat Cafe, Akhihabara
After the concerning experience at Harajuku Kawaii cafe, people mentioned visiting a #Catcafe instead, calling it ethical and a great experience for kids. So, i thought may be the first one wasnt the right choice and so i took the kids to visit The Cat Cafe in #Akihabara. This time I was cautious and asked for only 20 minutes time ( we all learn from our lessons right?). However, those 20 minutes were equally disheartening.
As we entered, there were around 10 cats of different sizes and color. There were cat house at the corner of the room where most of the cat were resting. The cats outside were indifferent at best, and many of them seemed to prefer being left alone. My kids tried to pet them, but most would hiss or just move their paw to stop their hands. We kept trying other cats to pet, but they hardly wanted to play or be pet. They would sit in corner eyeing us wildly. Two cats would just sat in front of the door, waiting for it to open and escape.
The cafe lacked the warmth and care that one would expect from a place that supposedly loves animals.
Time really slowed down and 20 minutes just seemed like 2 hours. Even my kids wanted to get out within 10 minutes of those cats attacking them. We picked up our included drink and left after 15 minutes,
Reflecting on the two Animal Cafe Experience- Saddest Experience
I hadn’t really thought it through before going, but in hindsight, I wouldn’t go to an animal cafe again. The idea of these cafes may seem harmless and fun, but in reality, the animals often suffer for our entertainment. I’ve heard similar reports from other travelers we met who went to a rabbit cafe (only one bunny could be out at a time or they’d fight) and dog cafes.
If you are ethically inclined for the well-being of animals, I will leave it up to you to decide to visit an animal cafe in Tokyo or other places in Japan. I had a regretful experience in Tokyo, Japan. The well-being of the animals should always come first, and it is clear that this is not always the case in these cafes. If you are considering visiting an animal cafe, I urge you to think carefully about the ethical implications and the potential harm to the animals.
I would love to hear from you regarding such experiences. Did you feel like falling into a tourist trap or it did not matter to you?
HAPPY TRAVELLING!!!
Comentários