If your family is looking for something to do in Tokyo that’s quirky, Instagram-able and completely adorable, an animal café is a great way to start. While cat cafés have become trendy and made it overseas, there are a few more unique options to check out while in the city.
For the bird-watchers in your group, Kotori Café Ueno is a parrot-lover paradise. Watch resident cockatiels, parrots and other vibrantly colored birds mix and mingle. For safety and hygiene, the birds don’t fly completely free throughout the café, but visitors can go into a designated room to meet, pet and watch the birds enjoy their space. Guests sip tea and even alcoholic drinks for adults while eating bird-themed sweets.
If birds-of-prey are more your family’s speed, the Owl Café & Bar Owl Village is right up your alley. Bring the family and meet a variety of owls, some sitting right on your arm for an up-close-and-personal experience.
As the first hedgehog cafe in Tokyo, Hedgehog Café HARRY is kind of a big deal. This café is part pet store, as guests can pet, play and even purchase resident hedgehogs to take home. If taking one home isn’t really an option (definitely don’t tell the kids), just enjoy watching the little guys run around until they eventually fall asleep in your hands.
Hedgehog Cafe in Tokyo, Japan Photo Credit: Miguel Cubero Castillo | Dreamstime.com
When the adults need a break from the city bustle, but still want a little quirky vibe, sip cocktails and snack on light bites in the only bar in the city with penguins. Open until 4 a.m., this stop is great for travelers seeking happy hour cheer or late-night cocktails with a unique view of waddling penguins.
This one kind of speaks for itself and definitely lends to the reptile-loving kids in the family, but the Tokyo Snake Center is essentially a meet up for like-minded herpetologists. Find your seat and wait for the expert staff to pass around resident snakes and reptiles.
Keep it simple and furry with a visit to the Temari no Ouchi, or cat café and cat forest. Enjoy sweets and teas while cats run around their whimsical home, often dressed in outfits to match.
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