One of the best and most unique experiences of my life. Having the opportunity to be up close to an owl is an impossible experience elsewhere in the world. Not only that, they have over 40 owls at the cafe.
You can tell the owl trainers take great care in curating a peaceful atmosphere where owls & guests can meet. The hosts are kind & friendly and true animal lovers. Guests are first educated on how to properly and safely interact with the owl so the owls are not startled. Not all owls will be available at one time, as it allows for some owls to take a rest which is understandable and respectable!
Overall, the experience is clean & organized. Only a small group per session so it’s not crowded and no one is rushed. You’ll have a relaxing time interacting with numerous different owls and a professional photo of your choice with any owl to end it all.
We were looking for an ethical animal café as we heard the laws/rules in Japan are different from other first-world countries. In North America for instance, most animal cafés found in Japan would be frowned upon, if not outright banned.
That being said, after some research here and there, I found Owl Cafe Tokyo and their mission seems to be both profit but also taking care of the owls. I'm not knowledgeable enough to say that the owls are enjoying 100% of the experience, but they do seem to be well taken care of.
We booked the VIP experience as we wanted the best that the cafe can offer and it was fantastic. For 1 hour, we had exclusive access to the cafe and all the owls. Initially they said that we could choose which owls to pet, but as it was a little overwhelming to choose, they instead brought all the owls to us one by one. Their camera skills were also excellent and took fantastic images of us (not attached to this review as we haven't received the digital photos yet).
While it might feel like 1 hour is long, it passed by extremely quickly and it was a really unique, once in a lifetime experience. If you enjoy animals, and especially owls, I highly suggest you give them a shot.
My personal wish is that they can get a bigger room or even an outdoor area for the owls, but even with their current setup, they're able to make do.
Small note: it seems like most animal cafés don't actually serve drinks or food, so if you're planning on getting something, I suggest you get it outside of the building first and not bring it with you inside.
A simply incredible experience.
The birds are beautiful, healthy and clearly loved very much. The rules about behaviour are very strict to keep the atmosphere calm and relaxing for both the birds and their visitors.
We had plenty of time to learn about and interact with the owls, and the experience was really a 45 minute mindfulness exercise where we could relax and just “be” with these beautiful creatures.
The concierges were wonderful and patient, and gave clear instructions, and plenty of information about the owls we were visiting.
I highly recommend a visit, I left feeling genuinely moved by the experience. I will never forget it, and next time I am in Tokyo I will for sure book again.
My complements to the owl concierges, you can feel the love you put into every part of this cafe.
I recently visited the owl café Tokyo, we are from Los Angeles and there is nothing like this in the United States. It is truly a one-of-a-kind experience. I took my daughter because she loves animals, but to tell you the truth, I was probably more amazed by the experience.
Everything from the curation, vibe, and ambience was top notch. You can tell the owls are extremely well cared for. The experience of being up close to an owl not to mention being able to pet an owl is mind blowing. They are extremely soft and gentle creatures.
The experience was priceless. The smile on my daughter’s face said it all even though we just went I would do it again in a heartbeat. And to top it all off, they gave us surprise gifts in the end.
Such a unique experience and a really memorable opportunity to learn more about owls up close. There were so many different owl species and each one had its own personality, which made the whole experience feel really special. Some of them also had really funny and cute names which added a fun touch to the visit.
The staff were very informative and guided everyone through how to properly interact with the owls, which made the experience feel organised and calm rather than chaotic. Being able to see the owls so closely and take photos with them was definitely something very different from a typical café experience.
We also really appreciated the complimentary printed photos they gave us after taking pictures with the owls. It was such a thoughtful little keepsake and made the experience feel even more memorable.
Overall, a very unique and wholesome experience while visiting Tokyo.
