Nyaon Rescue Cat Cafe

Komoro, Nagano · 4.1 mi / 6.6 km

Cafe Guardian is a cafe with five resident cats in Mikage-shinden, Komoro, not far from Karuizawa, easy to spot by the cat-shaped weathervane on its triangular roof. It describes itself as a cafe with cats rather than a cat cafe: there is no cat room or entry fee, and the cats roam freely through the high-ceilinged dining room with its wood stove and hammock chairs, greeting guests, sitting on tables and napping beside them, while the owner shares stories about each one. The cats, including the black-and-white Kuro-hime, also star in the owner's cat comic. The menu has lunches such as pasta, risotto and curry, and cat-shaped desserts including an apple pie made with Komoro apples. The cafe has free parking and Wi-Fi, takes reservations, and is closed on Mondays and Tuesdays.

Nagano · 22 mi / 35 km

Wanekohonpo is a rescue cat cafe and small guesthouse in a renovated old house on a hillside in Wakaho-Hoshina, eastern Nagano City, with wide views over the Nagano basin. It is run single-handedly by an owner who moved from Aichi Prefecture. About ten rescued cats live in an enclosed courtyard, a former dry-stone garden, where visitors can go in to stroke and play with them, and the cats are available for adoption. There is no charge for the cats; visitors order from the cafe menu, which offers a Nagoya-style morning set all day along with dishes such as udon napolitan, and the first ten groups each day get a cat treat to give. The cafe opens Friday to Monday, with hours on Fridays and Mondays sometimes changing, and closes for winter from December to March, when the guest rooms stay open.

• Adoptable cats

Suzaka, Nagano · 25 mi / 40 km

Cat Cafe MOFF AEON Mall Suzaka is a cat cafe on the third floor of AEON Mall Suzaka in Fukujima, Suzaka, run by MOFF, a company that operates animal and cat cafes across Japan. Visitors spend time with a variety of cats in the same room while having drinks from the cafe menu, and can try feeding them treats. Entry is charged per 30 minutes with one drink order required, then in 10-minute steps, with a daily maximum that is higher at weekends and on holidays. No booking is needed, children aged three and under enter free, and children of elementary school age or younger must come with a paying adult, up to three children per adult. Visitors with a disability certificate get a discount. Re-entry is not allowed, and the cafe follows the mall's opening days with last entry at 7:30 PM.

• Walk-ins welcome

Nakanojo, Gunma · 25 mi / 40 km

Kagineko no Shippo is a small cat cafe in Nakanojo, a hot spring and arts town in the Agatsuma area of northwest Gunma, about 10 minutes on foot from JR Nakanojo Station on the Agatsuma Line. It opened in May 2026 in the premises of a former cafe, and combines a cafe menu with a space where visitors can play with the resident cats, with seasonal drinks such as cream soda served in summer. The building is in a residential area that car navigation may struggle with, so the cafe posts walking directions from the station; there is parking for about three cars. It opens on Saturdays, Sundays and public holidays from 11 AM to 4 PM, and occasional closures are announced in a monthly calendar on its Instagram account, which is worth checking before a visit.

Nagano · 26 mi / 42 km

Neko Cafe Mimi is a small cat cafe in a detached house in Gassenba, in the southern part of Nagano City, run like a home where the cats live together as a family. Open for about 12 years, it now has 11 senior cats who have been there since the early days, including Scottish Folds, Ragdolls, Munchkins, Ragamuffins and American Shorthairs. The cats are calm and sleep much of the day, so the cafe suits visitors who want a quiet time rather than play. Entry is charged for one- or two-hour courses plus one drink, with member discounts and a flat rate for children from three to elementary school age; children under three are not admitted. No booking is needed, socks are required, and payment is cash or PayPay only. The cafe opens on weekday afternoons and all day at weekends, and is closed on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays.

• Walk-ins welcome

Takasaki, Gunma · 26 mi / 43 km

Totonou Neko Cafe Banya is an adoption-focused rescue cat cafe on National Route 17 in Kaminamiemachi, Takasaki, on the ground floor of an office building that can be hard to spot at first. Opened in October 2022, its wood-panelled interior is modelled on a sauna, and the cafe puts weight on cleanliness and keeping odours down so that first-time visitors feel comfortable. About seven rescued cats are permanent residents and others are available for adoption after a screening, though guests are equally welcome simply to spend time with the cats. There are no pedigree cats, only friendly rescues. Drinks are included. Children of preschool age are not admitted, and elementary school children may visit only on weekends and holidays with a guardian, until 5 PM. Socks must be worn. The cafe is open every day, though it may close or shorten hours depending on the cats' condition.

• Adoptable cats