The Tourist-y Bit: Kyoto Mameshiba Cafe
Basic Info
Location
Shinkyogoku Shopping Street
Opening Hours
11.30AM - 7.30PM (8.00PM on a weekend or national holiday)
Cost
880 yen (adult ticket, 30 minutes and one drink)
580 yen (child ticket, aged 6 - 12 with an accompanying adult, again 30 minutes and one drink)
Ellie's General Opinion - 7.5/10
I really love dogs and spending time with dogs, so that makes my opinion biased, though there are some concerns about how the dogs are treated and also they don't interact with you as much as you might like.
Instagrammability - 9/10
Oh boy, these dogs know how to pose and who doesn't love a cute dog pic?
Stereotypical Cringey Tourist-ness - 7/10
Located on a popular shopping street, it's hard for a tourist to miss it, but it doesn't get full tourist points as it's greatly overshadowed by many more popular tourist sights in Kyoto.
Cultural Appreciation Points - 6/10
Shiba Inus are pretty iconic as Japanese dogs, but I'm not sure just how much Shiba Inu cafe would be considered 'culture'...
When I first heard about a Shiba Inu cafe, you know I immediately wanted to visit, but it was actually a stroke of luck that we just so happened to pass it on our way down Shinkyogoku Street. I mean, I had been planning to hunt it down by myself at some point, but I wasn't originally planning on dragging my family there with me.
Now, a lot of reviews that I had read about the cafe stated that the dogs were often scared and refused to interact with people. When I went to pay for the ticket, the lady serving me also pointed out that they could not guarantee that the dogs would play with and interact with us. I was hesitant, but decided at the very least I would still get some cute photos.
I had to wait for an hour, but it's very easy to kill time by simply wandering around the area, Kyoto's fabulous shopping streets truly entertain. After spending my time dipping in and out of shops and checking the time, my chance to meet some dogs finally arrived.
I entered the small building and was directed to take off my shoes and go to the second floor. As I passed through the first floor, I noticed a dog sleeping on a person's lap. Very promising, I thought to myself.
At the top of the stairs I was greeted by two of the dogs behind a gate that stopped them from going downstairs. They seemed fairly eager to sniff my legs as I came nearer, though they did shy away from my hand. Two other dogs milled around the rest of the cafe, sniffing the floor and doing whatever it is that dogs do.
I was given a sheet of paper explaining some basic rules about how to interact with the dogs, nothing unusual and invited to use the vending machine to get my drink. It is worth noting that while some people complain about how the cafe was lacking in actual cafe-ness, really the emphasis is on the 'animal' part of these 'animal cafes' and if you wanted a hundred types of coffee to choose from and several cakes, you really ought to go to an actual cafe.
Of course, being me (and though I am a coffee lover/addict, my love for dogs overpowers that completely), I was much too eager to sit down and focus on the dogs to even look at the coffee machine. Maybe a waste, but I was far too happy to be in the presence of so many adorable pups to care.
When everyone had arrived (and I was pleased to see that there were not that many people, maybe around 8 of us in total) the staff member in the room gave a quick briefing and then we were free to interact with the dogs.
The dogs themselves all displayed different personalities, and thankfully seemed happy in their environment (though I would be concerned about how long they are stuck in that room for, and what happens when all the staff go home for the night!).
The two that were waiting by the stairs were very energetic, often play-fighting each other for toys (though one of the fights did seem more aggressive than 'play'), and also playing with us, if we had a toy. One of these two also seemed to have been trained to pose for photos, instantly stopping and staring at me if he noticed me raise my camera and aim.
As for the other two dogs, one seemed a little older than the rest and spent most of his time lying down and allowing himself to be petted, while the other was a younger puppy who mostly avoided contact with us and instead tried to follow the member of staff at all times.
The half-an-hour in the cafe passed quickly, and I left feeling contented. Truly, if you can accept that the animals are unpredictable and the interaction with them may not be all kisses and cuddles (which is what I am used to with my dogs at home), the cafe is a must for any dog lover, especially those interested in the Shiba Inu breed.
Location Shinkyogoku Shopping Street
Opening Hours
11.30AM - 7.30PM (8.00PM on a weekend or national holiday)
Cost
880 yen (adult ticket, 30 minutes and one drink)
580 yen (child ticket, aged 6 - 12 with an accompanying adult, again 30 minutes and one drink)
Ellie's General Opinion - 7.5/10
I really love dogs and spending time with dogs, so that makes my opinion biased, though there are some concerns about how the dogs are treated and also they don't interact with you as much as you might like.
Instagrammability - 9/10
Oh boy, these dogs know how to pose and who doesn't love a cute dog pic?
Stereotypical Cringey Tourist-ness - 7/10
Located on a popular shopping street, it's hard for a tourist to miss it, but it doesn't get full tourist points as it's greatly overshadowed by many more popular tourist sights in Kyoto.
Cultural Appreciation Points - 6/10
Shiba Inus are pretty iconic as Japanese dogs, but I'm not sure just how much Shiba Inu cafe would be considered 'culture'...
When I first heard about a Shiba Inu cafe, you know I immediately wanted to visit, but it was actually a stroke of luck that we just so happened to pass it on our way down Shinkyogoku Street. I mean, I had been planning to hunt it down by myself at some point, but I wasn't originally planning on dragging my family there with me.Now, a lot of reviews that I had read about the cafe stated that the dogs were often scared and refused to interact with people. When I went to pay for the ticket, the lady serving me also pointed out that they could not guarantee that the dogs would play with and interact with us. I was hesitant, but decided at the very least I would still get some cute photos.
I had to wait for an hour, but it's very easy to kill time by simply wandering around the area, Kyoto's fabulous shopping streets truly entertain. After spending my time dipping in and out of shops and checking the time, my chance to meet some dogs finally arrived.
I entered the small building and was directed to take off my shoes and go to the second floor. As I passed through the first floor, I noticed a dog sleeping on a person's lap. Very promising, I thought to myself.
At the top of the stairs I was greeted by two of the dogs behind a gate that stopped them from going downstairs. They seemed fairly eager to sniff my legs as I came nearer, though they did shy away from my hand. Two other dogs milled around the rest of the cafe, sniffing the floor and doing whatever it is that dogs do.I was given a sheet of paper explaining some basic rules about how to interact with the dogs, nothing unusual and invited to use the vending machine to get my drink. It is worth noting that while some people complain about how the cafe was lacking in actual cafe-ness, really the emphasis is on the 'animal' part of these 'animal cafes' and if you wanted a hundred types of coffee to choose from and several cakes, you really ought to go to an actual cafe.
Of course, being me (and though I am a coffee lover/addict, my love for dogs overpowers that completely), I was much too eager to sit down and focus on the dogs to even look at the coffee machine. Maybe a waste, but I was far too happy to be in the presence of so many adorable pups to care.
When everyone had arrived (and I was pleased to see that there were not that many people, maybe around 8 of us in total) the staff member in the room gave a quick briefing and then we were free to interact with the dogs.The dogs themselves all displayed different personalities, and thankfully seemed happy in their environment (though I would be concerned about how long they are stuck in that room for, and what happens when all the staff go home for the night!).
The two that were waiting by the stairs were very energetic, often play-fighting each other for toys (though one of the fights did seem more aggressive than 'play'), and also playing with us, if we had a toy. One of these two also seemed to have been trained to pose for photos, instantly stopping and staring at me if he noticed me raise my camera and aim.
As for the other two dogs, one seemed a little older than the rest and spent most of his time lying down and allowing himself to be petted, while the other was a younger puppy who mostly avoided contact with us and instead tried to follow the member of staff at all times.The half-an-hour in the cafe passed quickly, and I left feeling contented. Truly, if you can accept that the animals are unpredictable and the interaction with them may not be all kisses and cuddles (which is what I am used to with my dogs at home), the cafe is a must for any dog lover, especially those interested in the Shiba Inu breed.
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