Japan is home to a host of cat cafes, where you can interact with furry feline friends in a relaxed setting. The first one I ever visited was Cat Café Cateriam in Shimokitazawa, Tokyo, and it still remains my favorite.
The café is easily accessible via public transport, and it's also easy to select how long you want to hang out with the cats for. They have trial sessions for 15 minutes or 30 minutes (¥ 300 and ¥ 500 respectively), or longer sessions for one, two, three, or five hours. There's even a full-day pass if you decide you really like the atmosphere.
There are thirteen cats who call the café home at present (you can see them all on the official website), and on my visits here I really felt like the staff took good care of them. They were mindful of any cats who seemed overstimulated which I think is very important, and they would give them quiet time away from patrons.
You're able to interact with the cats in various ways, from entertaining them with cat toys to even dressing them up. There was a very calm, tolerant cat on one of my visits who let me dress her up in these adorable hats – I think she looks beautiful!
For those who end up sticking around for a while, the café has a variety of snacks, light meals, and drinks available for purchase including muffins, scones, cat-shaped toast, coffees, teas, and juices. Many of the admission plans include one drink in the entry fee.
For anyone who intends to visit with children, please note that they won't allow entry to anyone under 5 years of age.
