Animal and pet cafés remain very popular in Tokyo, for locals and tourists alike. They are now to be found in almost every neighbourhood. The range of animals to be touched, fed and cuddled is wide and not any longer restricted to the usual cats and dogs. Depending on your preferences for fur, feathers, quills or naked skin, you may visit cafés for bunnies, owls, hedgehogs, snakes or other reptiles.

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Hedgehog cafés seem to be particularly successful. Not without reason: These furry and stingy friends are not only funny and endlessly cute but also incredibly photogenic. Most hedgehog cafés allow you to touch them, take them out of their habitats and also to feed them. Nothing can beat the look of a hedgehog in anticipation of a long maggot to be sucked up and entering its stomach. Hedgehogs are social and like to live in groups, even if it seems that their interaction is limited to funny competitions for food and water once it is in their sight. Some hedgehog cafés such as Chiku Chiku Café (see below) present hedgehogs in cute environments such as Japanese tatami rooms, classrooms or bathrooms. If you are interested in great pictures of hedgehogs, this is the place to go. Otherwise, check out cafés like HARRY (see below) where hedgehogs live in habitats of straw.

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Hedgehogs are generally easy to keep and to satisfy. Before you visit any animal or pet café, make sure that the café follows ethical guidelines and allows the animals to rest and to live in an adequate environment. If you are interested in becoming a parent for a hedgehog, some cafés such as HARRY offer you to buy them. Please take care of legal regulations as some countries do not allow importing and owning hedgehogs. Also, be aware that taking care of an animal is a serious matter and that pets are dependent upon your daily love and support.

Visiting a hedgehog café comes at a price of appr. 1,300 to 1,400 yen for 30 minutes. You may also buy hedgehog snacks costing up to 400 yen extra. How to handle a hedgehog will be explained by trained staff. You may also buy a drink or snack for yourself.

ChikuChikuCAFE, close to Shibuya station
ChikuChikuCAFE – Hedgehog Home & Cafe in Shibuya

HARRY, Café with stores in Harajuku, Roppongi and Yokohama
HARRY|ハリネズミカフェ®(六本木、原宿、横浜)
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