Cat＆Animal Cafe Noah's Ark 祇園店 — Restaurant in Kyoto

In short: Strong urine / feces smell, 1,300¥ for 30 minutes, must buy a drink (500-700¥). Extra charges if you are 1 minute over. Too many animals for the size of the space.

The price, I think, is reasonable. The way you are charged for exceeding the time by even a minute is not.

. . . .

Details: The staff seems well intentioned, but good intentions don’t change reality: the smell of urine, and that there are simply too many animals in a small space. They seem to use “40 animals” for marketing. And maybe that is why they will not reduce the number?

Smell: There is an overwhelming smell of urine and feces. The cafe responds to reviews saying that they use air purifiers — but they need to use enzyme cleaners at the source or remove things that have been urinated on, including building materials. They also say that they use ozone generators that are “gentle to animal and human health,” but ozone generators are lung irritants at any level and are banned in some countries for indoor use.

Too many animals: This might sound good to guests who want lots of attention, but the space is simply not large enough for 40 animals. The smell is a symptom of this.

Ferrets and Raccoons: I love these animals. However, they are likely also part of the smell issue. Litter box training raccoons can be difficult or impossible. Raccoons that reach puberty are also not safe around other people and animals (I say this as someone who loves raccoons).

Price & Flexibility: It is completely okay to charge people for an additional 30 minutes. And to charge a high price for the care of animals. But, it is not very friendly to charge people large amounts for going over their time by 1-2 minutes while they are washing their hands. Please either make extending a stay more transparent and fair, or make sure to guide people out when their time is up, and accept that it will take 1-3 minutes. This might be a cultural difference, but try to make it easy for guests to...

True, the employees and cats are cheerful, which gets them 1 star, but there are some facts about this experience that you should be aware of going in. Unlike other Animal cafes that charge a flat rate for a set viewing time, they have you pay when you are finished. So we stayed 2 minutes past the 30 minute mark, and they nicked us for an additional 600 yen for 3 of us. Also, the starting price of 1,100 yen per 30 is higher than the price advertised on their website and on the sign in front of the shop. Additionally, every entrant is required to buy an overpriced soft drink. So it all adds up to start feeling like you are being scammed.

Make sure you bring socks, because they make you remove your shoes and put on their flip-flops before entering. Which is fine except for the fact that they grabbed ours from a bucket labeled "Used Sandals" which I saw 2 people toss the very same sandals into 30 seconds earlier. The sandals were warm and sticky and absolutely disgusting. I had to wash my feet in a public bathroom afterward just to get the sticky gross stuff off the bottom of my feet from doing that.

Unlike the 2 other animal cafes I have visited in Japan, the stench inside was unbearable. It smelled worse than an animal shelter. To view the Raccoon Dogs, we had to travel thru a small room housing cat cages and enter another room where the dogs are kept. It was hot and stifling in there, and one of the cages had animal feces in it. The poor dogs seemed so hot and depressed, they could do nothing more than lay there next to each other.

I only go to these animal "cafes" because my 12 year old daughter enjoys them. They are greedy businesses that are exploiting and abusing...

A Delightful Cat Café Experience in Gion

What a perfect way to end our day exploring Kyoto! Nestled at the top of the hill in the charming Gion neighborhood, Noah's Ark offers a peaceful retreat just a short stroll from the Kamo River.

Upon climbing the stairs to the second floor, you're warmly welcomed by friendly staff who guide you through the simple process. After swapping your shoes for provided slippers, you can store your belongings and umbrellas in convenient lockers. The system is straightforward: there's a one-drink minimum per person, plus you can purchase special treats for the cats and ferrets. Time is charged separately, and we found 45 minutes to be the perfect duration to unwind and enjoy the feline company without feeling rushed.

The staff truly makes the experience special—they're incredibly helpful in facilitating interactions with the cats, even when the animals aren't particularly interested in treats. Their genuine care for both the animals and visitors really shows. This café fills a void I didn't know existed! As cat enthusiasts, we were thoroughly charmed by this uniquely Japanese experience. It's an absolute must-visit for fellow cat lovers and makes for a wonderful activity for teens and families alike. I only wish we had something like this back home—it's given us...