Akiba Fukurou

Akiba Fukurou, Tokyo’s top-rated owl cafe

Want to try out an owl cafe while you’re in Tokyo? Akiba Fukurou in Akihabara is the most highly rated owl cafe in town, as you’ll see on multiple sources – Google Maps, TripAdvisor, and other sites. Why do people like it so much? We wanted to find out.

Our visit to Akiba Fukurou

It was a Sunday afternoon when we rolled into Akiba Fukurou, our reservation at 5pm. We were instructed to arrive 10 minutes in advance to look over their instructions in this cute owl book.

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Exactly at the reservation time, the staff ushered us in. We walked in and found a room full of owls. And lots of them! There were little ones and big ones, a huge variety of owls.

The Owls at Akiba Fukurou

There are 36 owls here in total, sitting quietly under their names. The names are fun, and each one has a profile page on their site.

At first glance, it vaguely reminded us of butler or maid cafes, where they list the people who are there. But here, it’s owls! Each one has a different personality, as you’ll find out when you choose one to hold.

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When you find an owl you like, just ask the staff to get it perched on your arm. This puts you in a good position for a photo with your favorite. When you’re satisfied, you can move on to a different one.

I got to hold Queen of Hearts, who is actually the most aggressive of the bunch. Who would’ve thought? She’s “female-only” because she doesn’t like guys very much.

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Some of the owls are having a break, so unfortunately, they’re for seeing only. The others are fair game. If your arm is too tired (some of them are huge!) you can go around petting them on the head.

Next time, I definitely want to get Takoyaki on my arm. This owl is just huge.

Personal Photo

Midway through the experience, you’ll have an owl on your arm and the staff will ask if you’d like to take a photo. Then out comes this “owl,” a few snaps, and done. You can go back to what you were doing.

When the hour is up, you’ll get these cute laminated photo souvenirs on your way out!

Getting a Reservation

You can get an idea of what time slots are open via the chart on their website. The price is a flat 2,000 yen per person, cash only and paid at the venue.

For languages, they have English, Chinese, Japanese, and French, and they’ll send you emails in your preferred language as well. They’re very accommodating to travelers, so you won’t need any local Japanese service to help you with this one.

You can get a reservation on their website.

Conclusion

Worth it? Yes.

Especially if you’re into cute animals. You’ll find that the owls are soft and adorable, and the hour goes by quickly. Their service is top-notch, which explains why the ratings are so good. Finally, it seems the married couple who own the place genuinely love the owls – they’re clean, healthy, and accustomed to humans.

If you’re into animal cafes, this one’s a good choice.

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