Whether you’re a cat fanatic or a foe, the curious cafes which are cropping up all over the country might pique your interest, as well as raise a few questions:
Why would you put cats in a cafe? How does it work? Why is it so popular? Is it expensive?
In Takasaki, Cat’s Planet cafe is a quiet retreat on the 354 road whose plus point isn’t simply the roving felines.
It’s chic with modern fittings; everything from the tables to the straws match in a scarlet red or white. All of the finer details have been brushed with a theme of cats in mind, including the paw shaped glasses and cat door mats on the floor.
When you go to a gimmicky restaurant you expect the focus to be so much on the recreational aspect that the quality in other areas takes a backseat. Surprisingly, this is not at all the case. The menu is small but the options are varied and the portion sizes are extremely generous. We were shocked at how low the prices were considering that buying one item from the menu ensures you a fifteen minute free roam in the cat kingdom.
All priced in the 400-800 yen mark, you can choose from fries (big enough for two), the infamous Japanese “om rice” (rice topped with an omelet...might sound weird to foreigners but the fact we eat rice pudding is still something which makes most Japanese people nauseous), curry or enormous plates of spaghetti. For those of you with a sweet tooth the all day dessert menu includes a variety of different waffle flavor combinations as well as ice creams and yoghurt shakes.
If you aren’t peckish then you can get your fifteen minute prime time with the cats for a mere 200 yen. There are options for longer visits available although the place isn’t necessarily big enough to keep you entertained for hours unless you really, really love cats. (Which one woman there, sporting a cat hoodie and reading a book on cats, seemed to).
There are a few rules for entering the feline lair. Wash your hands beforehand, take off your shoes and put your belongings in a cat themed locker. After that, the door opens and, resplendent and unconcerned, the cats sprawl out in front of you. Asleep in boxes, plumped up on a pedestals, nestled in cushions or playing in their cat palace, they are everywhere. As is the case with such animals, they will often be found slumbering peacefully but luckily the cafe provides a tower of toys which you can utilize to stimulate some of the cats into waking, or simply to enrage them and gain yourself an enemy with an angry, hungry look in its eye.
If the cats completely refuse to be roused to life then you can use this as an opportunity to snap a few pictures with your new friends without them scampering away.
Whether you love or loathe the idea, it’s certainly one of those Japan experiences you have to tick off the bucket list. If you don’t like cats, kick back with the yoghurt smoothie and the chocolate and banana waffles and you wont be disappointed either.
