Cat Cafes in Okinawa

Chatan, Okinawa

Cherubim Cat Shelter is a no-kill rescue shelter run by the NPO Doubutsu-tachi wo Mamoru Kai Cherubim in Sunabe, Chatan, on the west coast of central Okinawa Island. It cares for a large number of abandoned and rescued cats, from kittens to older cats, while they wait for new homes. The shelter opens to the public on Saturday and Sunday afternoons as cat adoption sessions, when visitors can come in to meet and play with the cats, ask about adoption or volunteer. Many of the cats are friendly and climb onto visitors' laps and shoulders. The shelter's website is in Japanese and English, and foreign residents can also adopt. There is no cafe service, and donations of cat food and supplies are welcome.

• Adoptable cats

Yomitan, Okinawa

Hogo Neko Shokudo Noraya is a rescue cat diner in Nagahama, Yomitan, run by the NPO CCC to fund its cat shelter and trap-neuter-return work. Diners eat home-style lunches, mostly fish dishes with daily side dishes, while watching the cats through the glass of the neighbouring cat rooms. To go in and play with the cats, visitors book the necotto cat room in advance; a visit of about 70 minutes includes a drink and treats for the cats, and all room fees go to the shelter's running costs and the cats' medical bills. The room is meant for cat owners, people who cannot keep a cat and people thinking about adopting, who can get a feel for living with cats. The cats are very used to people. It opens on Saturdays, Sundays and Mondays.

• Adoptable cats
• Booking required

Uruma, Okinawa

Neko no Mahou Gakkou les liens is a rescue cat room in a quiet residential street in Kinaka, Uruma, run by a small volunteer cat rescue team formed in 2022. Around 30 cats live here, some as permanent residents and others looking for adoptive families, and visitors can sit with them in the room for a time-based fee. Staff stay with visitors throughout and explain each cat's name, personality and background, and they are happy to talk about cat care. It is closer to a small shelter than a cafe: no drinks are served, but drinks with lids may be brought in. Hours can change or the room may close at short notice when the cats are unwell or because of the volunteers' work, so checking Instagram before visiting is advisable. It is closed on Tuesdays and Fridays.

• Adoptable cats

Okinawa City

Catspark is a private rescue cat cafe inside Total Pet Salon Chouchou, a pet care centre in Yogi, Okinawa City, that also offers grooming, a pet hotel and pet sitting. Designed to feel like a safe park where cats live, the cat room is booked for one group at a time, so visitors have the cats to themselves. The cats are rescues, and the salon works with the local rescue group Uchina Wannyan Rescue Tai to find them adoptive homes. Visits are charged per hour at a modest rate and must be booked in advance through the salon's LINE account or by phone; phone reception runs from 10 AM to 6 PM except on Mondays, when the salon is closed. The room is only at the Okinawa City main shop, not at the Naha branch.

• Adoptable cats
• Booking required

Ishigaki, Okinawa

Catcafe Chura-neko is a small cat cafe in Miyara on Ishigaki Island, on the road between the town centre and New Ishigaki Airport, about 10 minutes by car from the airport, which makes it a common stop before a flight. It calls itself the southernmost cat cafe in Japan. The cats are calm and spend much of their time napping or sunbathing, and the owner explains each cat's character to visitors. Visits are charged per 30, 45 or 60 minutes, then in 15-minute extensions, with lower rates for preschool children aged four and over, and a bottled drink is included. Lint rollers are provided on the way out. The owner also runs a cat hotel and pet sitting, so the cafe sometimes closes on irregular days; checking Instagram or calling ahead is advisable. For car navigation, set the destination to Miyara 97-106.

Ishigaki, Okinawa

Nyanko no Shippo is a gallery and cat goods shop in a house in the north of Ishigaki Island, run single-handedly by a woman who rescues abandoned cats on the island. More than 30 rescued cats live in the house and wander freely among visitors, greeting them and climbing onto laps; some are blind or have walking difficulties. There is no entry fee. The shop sells cat-themed goods and shows life-size tole paintings of cats, and the proceeds, along with a donation box, pay for the cats' veterinary treatment and rescue work. Several cats are available for adoption, and the shop also takes part in local adoption events. Look for the large sign at the entrance; the shop is in the detached house just past it, up a short slope.

• Adoptable cats

Ishigaki, Okinawa

Cat Lounge &PAW is a rescue cat lounge in Shinei-cho, Ishigaki, scheduled to open on November 4, 2026. It was set up with the aim of ending the culling of cats on Ishigaki and changing the future of the island's rescued cats, and the idea is that simply visiting and spending time with the cats supports rescue work. The interior has an Alice in Wonderland theme. Opening hours, fees and booking details had not been announced before the opening and will be posted on the lounge's Instagram and TikTok accounts.

Miyakojima, Okinawa

Terunekoya, also called Healing Cat Room, is a small rescue cat cafe in a detached house in the Shimoji area of Miyako Island, and the only cafe of its kind on the island. The owner rescues local cats, and the cats in the house are affectionate and used to visitors, with families wanted for them every day; adoption conditions are explained on Instagram. Visits are by reservation through an Instagram message, which keeps numbers small and gives visitors time with the cats, and treats can be given. Opening days vary and are posted in the cafe's Instagram highlights together with the rules and fees. It is a popular stop for travellers on rainy days.

• Adoptable cats
• Booking required