Cat Cafes in Japan

Tsukuba, Ibaraki

Moff ⁠‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌⁠animal cafe iias Tsukuba is a branch of the Moff animal cafe chain on the first floor of the outdoor mall at iias Tsukuba, about five minutes on foot from Kenkyu-gakuen Station on the Tsukuba Express. It has a resident group of around nine cats, including a Bengal, a LaPerm, a Scottish Fold, a Norwegian Forest Cat, a Ragamuffin, a Ragdoll, a British Shorthair, a Minuet and an American Shorthair, alongside owls, a falcon, a kookaburra, meerkats, hedgehogs, chinchillas and other small animals and reptiles. Entry is a single fee with no time limit plus a compulsory drink bar, with a lower rate for children aged four to elementary school and free entry for under-threes; holding the animals is not allowed. No booking is needed. It is open daily from 10 AM to 8 PM, with last entry at 7 PM, following the mall's closing days.

• Walk-ins welcome

Mito, Ibaraki

Smile ⁠‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​⁠to Heart is the weekend rescue cat cafe of a Mito-based cat rescue group, in Kasaharacho in the south-west of Mito, near the Yamanoyu hot spring. The group first ran its cafe inside the Oarai Seaside Station shopping centre before moving it to Mito with its cats. The cats are rescues waiting for new homes, and many of them are very fond of people and happy to climb onto visitors' laps; staff explain each cat's personality and are glad to talk about the group's rescue work and adoption. Visits are charged by time, with extensions available, and goods such as the group's own T-shirts are sold to support its work. The cafe opens on Saturdays and Sundays from noon, but it is run largely by volunteers and occasionally closes when short-staffed, so checking its social media before visiting is advisable.

• Adoptable cats

Oyama, Tochigi

Cat ⁠‌‌​​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​⁠Cafe Coorikuya Oyama is a branch of the nationwide Coorikuya cat cafe chain on National Route 50 in Ekiminamicho, Oyama, close to the Kojima electronics store. Opened in July 2019, it sits next to and is run by the Coo&RIKU Oyama pet shop, and its rooms are designed as a cosy Japanese-style home where visitors sit close to the resident cats. The cafe is mainly reached by car and has its own car park with about 19 spaces. Visits are charged by time with free soft drinks included, and cat treats can be bought to give to the cats. Like other Coorikuya branches, it is a small to medium-sized space intended to feel like visiting a house full of cats. It is open every day from late morning until 8 PM, with last entry 30 minutes before closing.

Sano, Tochigi

Cat ⁠‌‌​​‌​‌​​​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌⁠Cafe Coorikuya AEON Town Sano is a branch of the Coorikuya cat cafe chain inside the AEON Town Sano shopping centre in Asanumacho, Sano, about 20 minutes on foot from JR Sano Station on the Ryomo Line. Opened in July 2020, it is attached to the Coo&RIKU pet shop in the same complex, and its interior follows a wooden-house theme meant to feel like visiting a cottage in the forest. Visitors spend time with the resident cats in a compact room, with visits charged by time and soft drinks included in the fee. Cat treats are available to buy. Parking is shared with the shopping centre. The cafe is open every day, from 11 AM on weekdays and from 10 AM on weekends and public holidays, until 8 PM, with last entry 30 minutes before closing.

Maebashi, Gunma

Cat ⁠‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​​​​​​‌​​‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌⁠Cafe Coorikuya Maebashi is a branch of the Coorikuya cat cafe chain in Motosojamachi, Maebashi, just off National Route 17 and about 18 minutes on foot from Shin-Maebashi Station. Opened in August 2019, it is attached to the Coo&RIKU Maebashi pet shop, and its theme is an old-fashioned Japanese living room with tatami flooring where visitors sit among the resident cats. The room is fairly small, which keeps people close to the cats. Visits are charged by time with free drinks included, and cat food or treats can be bought to give to the cats. There is a car park for about 10 cars. The cafe is open every day, from 11 AM on weekdays and from 10 AM on weekends and public holidays, until 8 PM, with last entry 30 minutes before closing.

Utsunomiya, Tochigi

Neko ⁠‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌‌‌​​​​​⁠no Ichigoyasan is a rescue cat cafe in Yanaze, Utsunomiya, run by a local strawberry farm. It opened as a cat cafe in August 2024, and in January 2025 it took in 23 cats from the Nekomiya cat cafe when that cafe closed, becoming a rescue cafe where cats wait for new homes. Because it is run by strawberry growers, the menu centres on fresh strawberry desserts, smoothies and shaved ice, which visitors can enjoy while the cats wander around them. Walk-ins are accepted, but visitors with reservations made through the official LINE account are seated first, and weekends can be busy. Socks must be worn in the cat room; thin or sheer socks, tights and stockings are not allowed. There is parking, though car-sharing is encouraged on weekends. The cafe is closed on Tuesdays and Wednesdays.

• Adoptable cats
• Booking recommended

Utsunomiya, Tochigi

Cat ⁠‌‌​​‌​‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​⁠Cafe Charilu is a concept cat cafe on the second floor of a building in Motoimaizumi, Utsunomiya, opened in February 2022. Its theme is a party hosted by elegant cats who live in a stately mansion, and the room is furnished with sofas where visitors relax while long-haired cats such as Siberians come and go, with some happy to sit on laps. There is also a working space for visitors who want to work or study with cats around them. The fee includes unlimited soft drinks, and slippers and lint rollers are provided. Visitors ring the intercom at the entrance to be let in. The cafe is often quiet on weekday afternoons, and private use can be arranged. It opens in the afternoon on weekdays and from early afternoon on weekends, closing at 7 PM, with last entry at 6 PM.

Oyama, Tochigi

Neko ⁠‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌​​​​​​​‌‌‌​​​​​​​​​‌‌​⁠Cafe Nekobiyori is a cat cafe in a residential part of Inuzuka, Oyama, run by a Munchkin breeder. More than 30 cats live here, many of them born at the cafe and raised around people, and there are almost always kittens; Munchkin kittens bred on site are sold, and viewings can be arranged separately. The cafe is set up like a home, with carpet and wooden floors where visitors are encouraged to lie down, play at the cats' eye level or nap alongside them. Visits are charged by the hour and cat treats can be bought. There is no reservation system: guests are seated in order of arrival, and numbered tickets are handed out when it is busy. The cafe opens on Wednesdays, Saturdays, Sundays and public holidays only, closing on Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays.

• Walk-ins welcome

Utsunomiya, Tochigi

Therapy ⁠‌‌​​‌​‌​​​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌‌‌‌​​‌​​⁠Cafe PoPo is a cat cafe in a detached house in Kitawakamatsuhara, in the south of Utsunomiya, that keeps only Siberian cats, a long-haired breed often described as less likely to trigger cat allergies. The owner breeds Siberians as Cattery PoPo, and the cafe began as a place to share cats she could not part with; kittens from the cattery are offered to new families, and some adult cats can also be adopted. All five rooms are private, so a family, couple or single visitor can have a room and its cats to themselves, and on longer visits staff move guests to another room roughly every 30 minutes. Cat-themed sweets and alcoholic drinks are served, children aged three and under enter free and elementary school children pay half. Reservations by phone or LINE get priority. The cafe is closed on Thursdays.

• Adoptable cats
• Booking recommended

Mibu, Tochigi

Cat ⁠‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌⁠Cafe Sasaya.R is the first cat cafe in the town of Mibu, in Chuocho, about five minutes on foot from Mibu Station on the Tobu Utsunomiya Line, and opened in 2026. It is run by a Munchkin breeder, so many of the resident cats are Munchkins, and most of them are young cats of one or two years old that are keen to play with toys. The room is small and homely, so it is quieter and more relaxed when there are few other guests. Visits start at one hour, with unlimited bottled drinks included, and can be extended in 30-minute blocks; seniors aged 65 and over and elementary school children pay a reduced rate, and preschool children enter free. The cafe opens in the afternoon from Wednesday to Sunday, with last entry an hour before closing, and is closed on Mondays and Tuesdays.

Ashikaga, Tochigi

ANELLA ⁠‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​⁠CAFE Ashikaga is a rescue dog and cat cafe in Asakuracho, Ashikaga, about 12 minutes on foot from Tobu Izumi Station and 16 minutes from Ashikagashi Station on the Tobu Isesaki Line. It opened in September 2026 as a branch of the ANELLA chain, whose cafes give rescued dogs and cats a place to meet visitors while they wait for new families. Cats at this branch have included Munchkins, and adoptions are arranged through ANELLA's own process. Visits are charged per 30 minutes with extensions in 15-minute steps, with reduced rates for elementary school children, seniors and visitors with disabilities, and preschoolers enter free. Payment is cash only and there is parking. The cafe also offers grooming and is a welfare workplace where staff with disabilities help care for the animals. It is open every day.

• Adoptable cats
• Walk-ins welcome

Takasaki, Gunma

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