This post contains affiliate links, which means that at no additional cost to you, if you click on one of the product links, we may earn a commission.

Last year, we visited two different cat cafes, so this year, we wanted to check out an animal cafe that was a little out of the norm. Japan is the master of stepping up the game once they find a fad.

Since cat cafes were such a hit, they took animal cafes to another level and created an owl cafe. There are a couple of owl cafes in Tokyo and we visited the one in Akihabara called Akiba Fukurou.

You can only visit this owl cafe by making a reservation, so make sure you book online in advance. Each time slot is an hour and they fill up pretty fast. We made our reservation the day before our visit and received a confirmation email soon after.

You pay when you get there (¥2000, which is about $20), so no need to make a payment online. The location was pretty easy to find and there were plenty of chairs outside for customers if you happen to arrive early. We were a bit early and it was chilly outside, so we hung out at a coffee shop across the street.

Our reservation was at 3:00 PM and the doors opened promptly at that time. We paid our fee and were directed to hang our coats and bags. Then we were given a quick guide of do's and don'ts. This only took a few minutes.

Then after that, we were free to walk around and take photos and pet the owls. There were probably about 20 owls sitting on their posts and if we wanted to hold one of them, we had to ask one of the staff members to help us. There were two staff members with interesting white uniforms and they were both helpful and friendly.

We were both intimidated by the larger owls, so we opted to hold the smaller owls. They were so cute and quiet. They really don't move around that much and just sit there on your arm.

We also had to whisper the entire time, since that was one of the rules. You had to be very quiet and your movements had to be very slow and quiet as well.

Crystal following instructions on how to pet the owl

Crystal spotted a second owl named Bonito that caught her attention and asked the staff member if she could hold him. She was warned by the staff that it was one of the more active owls and they were absolutely right.

This owl loved to flap its wings and immediately climbed up Crystal's arm and sat on her head. And then....the owl had a little accident. It was pretty funny and I let one of the staff members know what had happened. They quickly came by and wiped everything off like it had never happened.

Apparently the head was a better spot to sit

This guy really wanted to sit on Crystal’s head

After pooping on Crystal's head, Bonito tangled Crystal's hair with the rope

At some point, one of the staff members took a photo for us on their professional camera. This photo is given to you at the end of the visit as a souvenir, free of charge.

If you are worried about the language barrier, there is no need to worry. They explain everything in English and they were able to answer simple questions if you had any.

We both enjoyed our time with the cute little owls and were happy that they allowed us to take photos (no flash photography). We wanted to take some video, but that was prohibited.

The one hour went by so fast and we felt like it was definitely worth our money. Have you been to any unique cafes? Let us know in the comments below!

xo, Candy

AKIBA FUKUROU
ADDRESS : 〒101-0022 67, Neribeicho, Kanda, Chiyodaku, Tokyo
DIRECTIONS: Their website has detailed directions with photos to make it super easy to find
HOURS: Varies, but usually from 12:00 - 18:00 and closed on Tuesdays

WHERE TO STAY

The Tourist Hotel & Cafe - Clean and comfortable rooms with a nice cafe/breakfast area. 8-minute walk to the owl cafe and also located near Akihabara’s JR station.

First Cabin Akihabara - If you always wanted to experience a capsule hotel, this one is a more upscale version. 8-minute walk to the owl cafe and also located near Akihabara’s JR station.

Super Hotel Premier Akihabara - Has a nice indoor hot spring bath and a cute robotic dog walking around in the reception area wearing a kimono. 8-minute walk to the owl cafe and also located near Akihabara’s JR station.