Cat Cafes in Japan

Kiyose, Tokyo

Kiyose ⁠‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌‌​​​‌​​​⁠Nyankuru-so is a rescue cat shelter and cafe run by the NPO Nyaild Heart in Matsuyama, Kiyose, about two minutes on foot from the South Exit of Kiyose Station on the Seibu Ikebukuro Line. Set in a converted shop building, it moved here from Niiza in Saitama in October 2024, and its cats can often be seen at the street-facing windows. The shelter opens to visitors for meet-and-greet adoption sessions held on most Saturday afternoons and some Sundays, with each month's schedule posted on Instagram. Anyone may come in, not only prospective adopters, in exchange for a support donation charged per 30 minutes. Socks and masks are required, and children must be accompanied by an adult. Some cats are very friendly and climb onto laps, while others are still wary of people, and not every cat in the room is available for adoption.

• Adoptable cats

Kokubunji, Tokyo

KotaKuna ⁠‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌⁠cats is a small, non-profit rescue cat cafe in Nishi-Koigakubo, Kokubunji, run by the KotaKuna dog and cat grooming salon at its foster base, where rescued dogs and cats live while they wait for new families. Visitors share a room with the rescue cats, which are rehomed through the salon's own adoption process, and completed adoptions are announced regularly on its rescue Instagram account. There is no fixed admission fee; visitors are asked for a donation instead. Up to four people can visit at a time and reservations take priority, so booking ahead by phone or LINE is advisable. Slippers are provided and socks are required, and outside food, drinks and cat treats are not allowed. The cafe opens from late morning to mid-afternoon, with last entry an hour before closing, and is closed on Thursdays and over the New Year holidays.

• Adoptable cats
• Booking recommended

Hachioji, Tokyo

Cat ⁠‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​⁠Cafe Cokkun no Bessou Hachioji OPA is a cat cafe on the fifth floor of the Hachioji OPA shopping building, directly connected to the south deck of JR Hachioji Station. Run by MOFF, the company behind the Cat Café MOFF chain, it keeps around 17 pedigree cats, including Norwegian Forest Cats, Ragdolls, American Shorthairs, Bengals, Somalis, Scottish Folds, American Curls, Exotic and British Shorthairs, Singapuras and Maine Coons. Entry is charged by time, with a first 30-minute block followed by shorter extensions, and one drink order is required; weekday and weekend rates differ and there is a daily maximum. Children under 3 enter free, and children of elementary school age or younger must come with a paying adult aged 18 or over. No reservation is needed. The cafe opens every day except the building's closing days.

• Walk-ins welcome

Hachioji, Tokyo

Hogoneko ⁠‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌⁠Park Hachineko Cafe is a rescue cat cafe in Sennincho, Hachioji, about six minutes on foot from the north exit of JR Nishi-Hachioji Station. It is run by Hachineko, a long-running Hachioji volunteer group that carries out trap-neuter-return work and rehomes cats, and the resident cats are all looking for adoptive families. The cafe opens on Thursday, Saturday and Sunday afternoons, with slightly longer hours from June to September. Visits are charged per 30 minutes or per hour with one drink included, paid in cash at the end, and children must be at least 4 years old. Socks are required and can be bought at the cafe. Prospective adopters can book a meeting with particular cats through the group's online form, and trial adoptions are arranged by the group.

• Adoptable cats

Machida, Tokyo

Neko ⁠‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​⁠Gakuen is a volunteer-run rescue cat facility in Tadao, Machida, right by the Obirin Gakuen Higashi bus stop. Opened in February 2020, it describes itself as a shelter devoted to rehoming rather than an ordinary cat cafe: instead of an hourly charge, visitors receive one drink and are asked for a donation of a set minimum while they spend time with the cats. It is normally open from noon to 4 p.m. every day, but because it depends on its director and volunteers, visitors are asked to get in touch before coming, and it closes when no staff are available. Adopters are recruited on an ongoing basis. The group also uses a second site in Kiso-nishi for adoption events and goods sales, and offers cat boarding. There is no dedicated parking, though bicycles can be left on site.

• Adoptable cats

Tama, Tokyo

Neko ⁠‌‌​​‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​​​​‌⁠Cafe Tamaneko is a cat cafe on the second floor of Park Tama in Ochiai, Tama, about 10 minutes on foot from Tama Center Station on the Odakyu and Keio lines. Opened in 2008, it combines resident Ragdolls with rescued cats; the owner set up an NPO in 2017 and added a shelter in 2022 so that rescued cats can be rehomed. Visitors choose between an unlimited-time plan and a 30-minute plan that switches to free time afterwards, with separate weekday, weekend and child rates, and annual and six-month passes are also sold. Children under 4 are not admitted, younger children need a guardian, and groups of four or more must book ahead. Shoes are removed at the entrance. The cafe is closed on Thursdays, holds regular adoption events and also runs a cat hotel.

• Adoptable cats
• Booking recommended

Ome, Tokyo

Rescue ⁠‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​⁠Cat Cafe Rui is an adoption-focused cat cafe in Morookacho, Ome, set up in the garden of its founder's home and opened in February 2024. It is about seven minutes on foot from the Nogami stop on the Toei bus route from JR Kabe Station, and has parking. Up to around 20 rescued cats, many taken in through the owner's trap-neuter-return work, roam the cafe space while they wait for new homes, and the cafe arranged dozens of adoptions in its first year. Visits are charged in 30-minute steps with one drink required; children of elementary school age pay half and children under 3 enter free, and fees go toward the cats' food, litter and medical care. The cafe opens only on certain days each week, so checking its Instagram before visiting is advisable. Handmade cat goods are also sold.

• Adoptable cats

Ome, Tokyo

Rescue ⁠‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌‌​​​​‌‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌⁠Cat Cafe WISH is an adoption cafe in the Shinmachi district of Ome run by Ome Nyan Nyan Circle WISH, a volunteer group that rescues cats, promotes neutering of outdoor cats and finds homes for cats that cannot live outside. The cafe opens on weekend afternoons, mostly Saturdays, from 1 p.m., closing an hour earlier in the winter months, and the group posts each month's dates on its blog. Visits are charged per 30 minutes, with a lower rate for students and free entry for preschool children, and masks and socks are required. Besides matching cats with adopters, the cafe is meant as a place where people who cannot keep a cat can spend time with one. The group reports rehoming dozens of cats a year through the cafe, and proceeds from its handmade cat goods go to the rescued cats.

• Adoptable cats

Hachioji, Tokyo

Hako ⁠‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​​​​​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​⁠bu neco Hachioji is an adoption-focused cat cafe on the second floor of Mikuris City in Hyoe, Hachioji, about a minute on foot from Hachioji-Minamino Station on the JR Yokohama Line. It is run by Noah Animal Hospital, which opened the first Hako bu neco cafe in 2010 and also operates a branch in Showa, Yamanashi. The resident cats are all rescued adults that have had health checks, virus tests and neutering, and every one is looking for a new home. Visits are charged per 30 minutes with a drink included, with separate adult, student and child rates and higher prices on weekends and holidays; two-hour packs, a weekday all-day ticket and weekday private hire are also available. Adoptions follow the cafe's own application process.

• Adoptable cats

Hino, Tokyo

Hogoneko ⁠‌‌​​‌​‌​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​⁠Hiroba LoveHappy is an NPO-run rescue cat shelter in Hodokubo, Hino, about four minutes on foot from Tama-Dobutsukoen Station on the Keio line. It moved here from Minamidaira, where it previously ran a cafe-style adoption space, and now opens the shelter to the public every Sunday afternoon. No reservation is needed; visitors are asked for a donation on entry and must wear socks, and numbers may be limited when it is busy. The shelter houses many kittens and adult cats rescued in and around Hino, all looking for adoptive homes. The Sunday session is cancelled when the group takes part in outside adoption events, which it also holds regularly at venues in Fuchu, Hino and Takahatafudo.

• Adoptable cats

Ome, Tokyo

NEKOZATO ⁠‌‌​​‌​‌​​​​​‌‌‌​​​​‌​​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​⁠Satooyakai is a weekly cat adoption gathering held at the group's own premises in Tomioka, Ome, a rural spot surrounded by rice fields. It is linked to the local volunteer groups Inochi wo Kangaeru Kai Ome and Ome Sakura Neko Club, which carry out trap-neuter-return work and take in kittens and cats that cannot be returned outdoors. Every Sunday afternoon, visitors can walk in and interact freely with the cats in a relaxed, cat-cafe-like setting while finding out about adoption. Some weeks are skipped, so the calendar on the group's website should be checked first. The site has its own parking, and the nearest bus stop is Iwaido, on the bus routes between Hanno and Higashi-Ome stations.

• Adoptable cats

Hachioji, Tokyo

Moff ⁠‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌‌‌‌​⁠animal cafe Iias Takao is a multi-animal cafe on the first floor of the Iias Takao shopping centre in Higashiasakawa, Hachioji, about six minutes on foot from JR and Keio Takao Station and five minutes from Keio Hazama Station. Alongside owls, parrots, reptiles, rabbits, hedgehogs, prairie dogs, guinea pigs and dogs, it keeps around a dozen pedigree cats, including Norwegian Forest Cats, British and American Shorthairs, a Munchkin, a Ragdoll, an American Curl, Selkirk Rexes, Scottish Folds and a Russian Blue. Entry is a single unlimited-time charge plus a mandatory drink bar, children aged 3 and under enter free, and children of elementary school age or younger must come with a paying adult. No reservation is needed, though entry may switch to timed sessions when busy, and animals cannot be held. The cafe opens daily and follows the mall's closing days.

• Walk-ins welcome