Elizabeth
Cat cafes are all the rage in Tokyo and they should be! Cat cafes are hip, popular joints where you can pet cats, feed them snacks and bask in an elegant ambiance. But an even more exciting adventure is going to a pig cafe. On a recent weekday, we hopped on our bicycles and visited the nearby Mipig Cafe in Meguro City, just down the lovely sakura-lined Meguro River from our house.
Mipig (and most other) pig cafes in Japan require a reservation. Reservations are free and available in 30-minute increments. At Mipig, you arrive for your reservation and agree to the rules. There are a few that are important, so pay attention. Most pig cafes do not permit picking up the pigs, touching the pig snouts/mouths or taking photographs of the staffs’ faces. Easy enough.
Expect to pay approximately 1000 JPY per adult per 30-minute slot for this experience. Kids are generally half-priced. Most animal cafes have a minimum spend. Mipig, for example, requires visitors to purchase at least one drink item. Pick a 500 JPY coffee and enjoy that while you have the experience of a lifetime.
At your appointed time, you’re led into the pig room. Each visitor may be assigned to a low couch where you sit, then you’re given a blanket to keep your clothes clean and then you await the pigs. This is where the pig cafe experience differs from a cat cafe (or hedgehog, or dog cafe). At Mipig, the micro pigs come to you – immediately. At one point I had six pigs laying on me. For those squeamish, this might not be the experience for you! Quite literally, I had pigs fighting each other to snuggle in next to me and my little guy. When issues arise, the staff members are close by to help. At one point, I asked a staff member to assist me in moving a couple of pigs off of me so I could meet new pigs.
Watch out! These little piggies fall asleep pretty easily if you scratch and pet them in the right spots. So keep your tea/juice/coffee at hand. If there are couches available for the next time slot, you can opt to pay a small amount more to stay longer. For my nine-year-old and I, we would have stayed forever. But we arrived by bicycle and wanted to get home before it was too dark and dangerous to get home.
Oh boy they’re loud. The pigs oink constantly, so be prepared for a lot of noisy grunters. As far as being prepared, know that loose clothing or anything dangling might be chewed on. Leave your tassels and bangles at home.
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