The best time to go to a cat café is during feeding time. In case you were wondering. That’s when the cats burst to life.
What, pray tell is a cat café, you ask?
I’ll let my friend Bob tell the story. Bob recently returned from a two-week visit to Japan. This was his 10th visit to the other side of the planet from where he lives in Washington, D.C.
While there, he visited a cat café in Yokohama called Neko Café Leon. “Neko” is "cat" in Japanese.
Tell us what exactly is a cat café?
These types of establishments have cropped up to meet the needs of cat lovers who can’t have pets in their apartments or don’t have them for other reasons. The staff at Café Leon consists of a few human employees and 17 cats of various sizes, shapes and colors.
For reference, the cats’ photos and profiles are displayed on the wall. The profile for Leon, a unique 2-year-old short-legged breed, indicates that he’s the café’s main cat.
Translated from the Japanese:
“Leon’s idol, Mr. Leon. The walnut-shaped eyes that look a bit powerless make you want to hold and protect him. Also, his charming feature is short legs that are typical of the Munchkin breed. His clumsy footsteps make everyone be crazy about him.”
Can you eat there too? Or would you even want to?
Although it’s a café, you can’t drink coffee and pet cats at the same time. The coffee shop is separate from the cat play room, which is filled with cat toys and things for them to climb and sleep on.
Before interacting with the entertainment, you must wash your hands and be aware of certain rules. In the play room, no flash photos or loud noises are allowed. In fact, the room was so quiet that it seemed more like a library with cats.
About half of the cats were sleeping on the job. Others were roaming around, playing or being pet by customers.
I don’t know if these cats were screened for their pleasant personalities, but they all appeared to be getting along. Two cats were chasing each other playfully, but I saw no fights.
The most startling thing that happened was when a cat suddenly jumped on my friend’s shoulders.
So what was it like at feeding time?
When the staff delivered the bowls of food, all of the sleeping cats suddenly came to life. Each customer was given a bowl to share with his or her favorite feline. Before doing so, the customers were encouraged to say together “itadaki-nyan!” which combines part of a phrase that Japanese say before meals and “meow!” (Cats in Japan say “nyan” instead of meow.”)
Why do you think there’s a market for cat cafes in Japan?
Is it a good place for solo travelers?
The cat café seems like a place where someone could comfortably go solo, since the objective is to spend time with the furry creatures.
One girl was enjoying a book while petting various cats that came by. Other customers were dangling toys in front of the cats, trying to get some reactions. The play room was very clean and odor-free.
During my visit, an employee was meticulously removing cat hair from the carpet with a roller.
How much does entry to a cat café cost?
For the privilege of playing with cats, Café Leon charges 600 yen, or about $6, for the first half-hour, plus food and drinks. A menu in English is available. Café Leon is located near the Japan Rail Ishikawacho station. Yokohama is located about 30 minutes from Tokyo by train.
Other posts on Japan:
Eating, sleeping and traveling solo in Japan
Photos: By Bob
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