Before I had heard of the Inu no Jikan dog cafe, I was Skyping with my parents.
They asked, “We hear a lot about cat cafes and bird cafes, but are there any dog cafes?”
I had looked up dog cafes about a year before this conversation and nothing came up.
So I answered, “No, dog cafes don’t seem to be a thing.”
As I learned, this was a lie. A few days later, I was planning a surprise birthday gift for my partner. Since my partner really likes dogs, I gave the dog cafe search one last try.
And it turns out there are plenty of dog cafes in Tokyo! So I chose the closest one: Inu no Jikan dog cafe in Otsuka.
“Inu no jikan” literally means “dog time.” The Inu no Jikan dog cafe main shop is in Aoto. But we were lucky because the Otsuka branch was open the weekend we decided to go.
Inu no Jikan Dog Cafe Reservation and System
Inu no Jikan dog cafe is reservation only.
When we called, the reservation receptionist kindly explained that at 6:00 pm (our chosen time) the dogs would probably be quite sleepy. We said that would be okay. I mean, sleeping dogs are cute too, right?
The system is simple. As of writing, the fee is 1,000 yen per person for 30 minutes. This can be extended in 15 minute increments at 250 yen per person.
In total, the cafe holds up to six people. When we went, we were lucky because we were the only two there!
Inu no Jikan Dog Cafe Location
The Otsuka Inu no Jikan dog cafe location is a little tricky to find. The building looks like a house inside a small, gravel-paved park.
The dogs probably noticed us before we noticed them. When we looked up at the second floor of the building, small furry faces were looking down at us.
Inu no Jikan Dog Cafe Atmosphere
When we entered on the first floor, we were greeted by one shopkeeper and three enthusiastic toy poodles.
Like many animal cafes, there wasn’t any (human) food. However, we did get to choose a bottled drink.
We then headed up to the main area on the second floor. In this area, we were greeted by almost ten small dogs.
The space itself was relatively small. It had a TV, sink, and several boxes to hold our bags.
We were the only guests, so it felt quite exclusive.
The shopkeeper prepared some cushions (Japanese zabuton) for us and introduced each of the dogs.
The Dog Cafe Dogs!
All eight dogs were very friendly and well behaved: four toy poodles, a chihuahua, a shi-tzu, a pomeranian, and a daschund.
For the first ten minutes, the dogs took turns jumping on our laps and running around the room. We were given aprons to keep off dog hair. And we were also given blankets to make our laps more inviting.
The shopkeeper then let us give treats to the dogs. I felt sorry I couldn’t get any treats to the slower, elderly shi-tzu, Lala. The toy poodles were just too fast.
Lastly, the shopkeeper brought out some toys that kept the more energetic dogs entertained. But starting with the long-haired chihuahua Nagi, the dogs started settling down for a nap.
Since one of the toy poodles took my cushion, I sat near the cloth boxes.
The sweetest dog was definitely Rizu. At first, she tried to crawl on the shopkeeper’s lap with Coco, the toy poodle. But when the shopkeeper said, “Rizu, go do your job!” Rizu dutifully came and fell asleep on my lap.
Before we knew it, the initial sixty minutes had ended.
We are definitely thinking about going back, perhaps at a different time to see the Inu no Jikan dog cafe atmosphere around lunch.
Dog Cafe Date Parties
While I’ve never joined, apparently Inu no Jikan has date parties for dog lovers!
You may have heard of “gokon” (合コン), which are popular events in Japan for people to meet partners. So this may be your chance to bring a special dog lover into your life!
Inu no Jikan Dog Cafe Details
System
Reservation only! Same day reservations accepted.
30 minutes: 1,000 yen per person
15 minute extension: 250 yen per person
*Includes one drink and dog snacks
Reservations accepted for 2 or more people.
For safety reasons, generally no one under 18 or elderly accepted.
Open Hours
Generally everyday, 11:30 – 19:00
(Check the website to see which location has openings at what time/dates)
Contact Information
See the website for email and phone number.
*For questions and reservations
*Generally seems to be in Japanese language only
Addresses
We visited the Otsuka Shop, but the cafe seems to switch between two locations.
Be sure to check their website closely to see which location is open when.
Aoto Shop Address
In English: 7 Chome-24-3 Aoto, Katsushika-ku, Tōkyō-to 125-0062
In Japanese: 葛飾区青戸7-24-3
Aoto Shop Google Map
Otsuka Shop Address
In English: 2 Chome-34-7 Kitaōtsuka, Toshima-ku, Tōkyō-to 170-0004
(Searching via Google maps using the English address does not work well)
In Japanese: 豊島区北大塚2-34-7（イワベ方）
Google Map
Closest Stations
Aoto Shop Station
Kameari Station: about 15 minutes by foot
Otsuka Shop Stations
JR Otsuka Station: about 7 minutes by foot from the North Exit
Toden Sugamoshinden Station: about 3 minutes by foot
Website
Inu no Jikan Dog Cafe Official Website
See website for details about rules, private reservations, and more.
Occassionally, Inu no Jikan holds “gokon” date nights where you can meet other dog lovers!
Have you visited a dog cafe before?
