I live in Kyoto and love visiting cat cafés, but I’ve noticed something important:
many popular animal cafés in Japan — even those with thousands of high Google reviews — do not actually treat the animals well.
In Japan, a lot of customers focus mainly on the “cute experience,” not on animal welfare.
Because of this cultural gap, Google ratings and review numbers often reflect entertainment value, not the wellbeing of the animals.
So even cafés with huge numbers of 5-star reviews can still be overcrowded, stressful for the cats, and not providing proper care.
For travelers who genuinely care about animal welfare, this can be confusing and frustrating.
That’s why I think it’s meaningful for us to choose ethical cafés — doing so sends a message, supports rescue efforts, and encourages better standards across Japan.
Despite the problems, Kyoto does have a few places where rescued cats live safely, quietly, and with real respect.
Here are three ethical cafés that I personally recommend:
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- Cat’s Cafe Gallery Cat’s Eye
A small, home-like café run by a Japanese woman.
Located in a sunny building near the Imperial Palace.
Very simple facilities, low-cost style, relaxed atmosphere, and gentle rescued cats.
The owner speaks English very well, so foreign visitors feel welcome.
Google Maps:
https://maps.app.goo.gl/1RDDzETK7xeGPaLZA?g_st=ic
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- THE CAT RETREAT at UTANEKODO
An ethical, quiet cat retreat inside a traditional Kyoto townhouse.
This is not a typical Japanese cat café — no chasing, no standing, no forced interaction.
Cats live freely and guests follow welfare-based rules to keep the space calm.
Beautiful interior, small groups, optional matcha whisking experience.
Higher price than the others, but it offers a unique, peaceful atmosphere and very high-quality experience.
Bookings available via GetYourGuide.
Google Maps:
https://maps.app.goo.gl/5mVqkQHxPxeCL4hBA?g_st=ic
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- Maneki Machiya Cat Cafe
Run by an animal-rescue organization.
Located a bit away from central Kyoto in a quiet residential area.
Housed in a traditional machiya townhouse.
Many of the staff are foreigners, so communication is easy for travelers.
An ethical, calm rescue-focused space.
Google Maps:
https://maps.app.goo.gl/76knqe1CBonpkJtC6?g_st=ic
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If you care about animal welfare, quiet environments, and supporting rescue efforts, these are (in my opinion) the best choices in Kyoto.
And again — choosing ethical cafés helps move Japan in a better direction for animals.
If anyone knows other ethical rescue-based places in Japan, I’d love to hear your recommendations.
by bipedal_cat
4 comments
I purposely avoid all animal related places in Japan because most have terrible conditions for the animals. Glad to see there are some ethical places, thank you for that. I agree with you it’s good to support them so that they set a better example for others
Thank you for making this post! I think any cafes that center on animals that aren’t cats or dogs (like capybaras) are unethical. And even then too many of the cat cafes don’t give the cats space to decompress or disconnect when they need to.
I didn’t know this existed in the first place but I thank you for this info
I love Japan but their horrific pet stores and animal cafes make me sick every time I see them
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