Updated November 12, 2024
Cat cafes have become a familiar concept to many people interested in Japanese culture, but did you know that Japan also has cafes dedicated to spending time with other animals too? Besides the popular cat cafes, rabbit cafes and even owl cafes are located throughout Japan. The concept of these quaint hangout spots is quite sweet. Generally speaking, guests pay a small fee to spend time with the animals who live at the cafe. The pricing depends on how long you would like to stay and it usually includes a drink. Depending on the cafe, sometimes the animals are available for adoption. So if you and your new animal friend get along well, you can take them home with you. Not only do the cafe's guests benefit from spending time with the animals, but it also helps them find a home!
One chain of rabbit cafes in Japan is called Ra.a.g.f., which for some reason is an acronym for "rabbit and grow fat." If you click on the "staff" button, you can see which rabbits are at each cafe. Here is an easy link for those of you who can't read Japanese: Ra.a.g.f. staff. Ra.a.g.f. actually has locations in both Harajuku and Jiyugaoka.
Ra.a.g.f. Harajuku is located in a building on a quiet street. The sign outside makes it quite easy to find.
The rates are reasonable too: 700 JPY for 30 minutes, 1,100 JPY for an hour and 550 JPY for every additional 30 minutes. This fee also includes a drink. Also, you can and definitely should buy rabbit food for the extra 150 JPY because it was really fun to feed all the cute bunnies! It's possible to make an advance reservation, but if you don't and there's a bit of a wait, the staff will give you a ticket with a time to return for your reservation.
Once it's time for your reservation, staff will explain some rules about how to interact with the rabbits. The rabbits are kept in cages but you can choose which ones you want to play with. The staff is kind to the rabbits and allows them to rest after socializing with guests so they don't become overwhelmed. Even if the rabbits aren't roaming about the room, you're still free to pet them in their cages.
All the rabbits are super sweet and friendly!
Make Ra.a.g.f. a part of your trip to Tokyo. There's no reason to be afraid to go if you can't read or speak Japanese because the some of the staff can speak English. And if rabbits weren't enough, there's a cat cafe across the hall of the Harajuku location.
--
Written by Carly Susman (www.carly-rose.com)
All photos are property of Carly Susman
Follow for more @carlycarbonate