Hedgehog Café Harry Tokyo: cuddle with super cute hedgehogs

A must-see spot for anyone with a hedgehog crush

Anyone who, like me, loves Instagram hedgehogs shouldn't miss a visit to Harry Hedgehog Café in Tokyo. Harry Hedgehog Café seems like something that can only exist in Tokyo. After the craze for cat, dog, sheep, and owl cafés, you can now also cuddle hedgehogs. And although I'm normally quite down-to-earth when it comes to this kind of nonsense, I couldn't resist a visit to Harry Hedgehog Café in Tokyo Can't resist. Most pet cafés are so popular that you have to make a reservation in advance. I didn't, but it seemed like so much fun to cuddle Harry on my birthday in Tokyo. The website indicated that all the hedgehogs were "fully booked." So we took a chance and showed up right at the door when it opened. And YES, there was still a spot left, and we were able to spend half an hour in the hedgehog café. Which isn't actually a café, but a pet shop!

Harry Hedgehog Café in Tokyo: What You Need to Know

Did I mention that Harry is an abbreviation of the Japanese word for hedgehog? Hence the café's name. A bizarre fact, hedgehogs don't occur naturally in Japan at all!
When you arrive at the Harry Hedgehog Café in Tokyo, you climb the stairs to the tiny cafe. It's not a proper cafe, by the way. You can get a drink there, but you have to get it yourself or bring it with you (which is allowed!). No, you come to this cafe to cuddle hedgehogs. The interior of Harry Hedgehog Café in Tokyo It's still quite trendy. With wood, cacti, and lots of glass containers where hedgehogs nap or enjoy a meal. There's a sort of bar where everyone can sit, and a corner with some stools for groups of cuddlers.

If you walk into Harry Hedgehog Café in Tokyo without a reservation, you can cuddle a hedgehog for up to 30 minutes. You'll be given a metal shoebox-like structure with the hedgehog inside. For 500 yen, you can also buy five worms to feed to the hedgehogs with tweezers. It's just too cute! Definitely do it. They keep a record of each hedgehog's out-of-cage time, ensuring they get plenty of rest.

Trust me when I say it's hard not to make a babyish coo-coo sound when you're holding such a sweet little hedgehog. This is without a doubt one of the cutest things I've ever done. Since I'm allergic, a cat café didn't seem like a good idea.

Some hedgehogs will fall asleep right in your hand, while others are active and want to play. Half an hour with a hedgehog costs 1300 yen, which is just under ten euros. Add another 500 yen for the food and 500 yen if you want to take photos with something other than an iPhone. To be fair, it's a commercial affair, of course. But in this pet shop-cum-café, the animals are well cared for, and it's an outlet for locals to still have the affection of a pet if they don't have room for one at home. For an overdose of cuteness, be sure to check out the video about Harry Hedgehog Café. Tokyo!

Tokyo Travel Tips

Several airlines fly direct from Amsterdam to Tokyo. Want to find the best deal? You can search for tickets below for your travel dates.

THIS IS WHERE YOU WANT TO STAY:

» Trunk Hotel: one of the newest boutique hotels in Tokyo and so cool!
» Andaz: luxury design hotel with an awesome rooftop bar (I celebrated my birthday there!).
» Moxy: YES, you can also find this trendy lifestyle hotel in Tokyo.
» Andon Ryokan: a modern version of a traditional Japanese ryokan.
» One @ Tokyo: lifestyle hotel not far from the Tokyo Sky Tree.
» Wired Hotel: modern boutique hotel where they also have family rooms.
» Classka: Before Trunk opened, this was the only truly design hotel in the city.
» Hotel Graphy Nezu: hipster hotel with cool interior and coffee bar on the ground floor.
» Hoshino Resorts OMO5 Tokyo Otsuka: In this poshtel you can also easily book a room for three people.
» Mandarin Oriental Tokyo: If money is no object, staying at the MO is an experience in itself.
» Mimaru: modern apartment-hotel where you have everything you need at hand.
» The Barn Tokyo: mini rooms with a clever layout and convenient location.
» The Tokyo Station Hotel: beautiful hotel in a beautiful historic building.

PUT THIS ON YOUR TOKYO BUCKET LIST:

Going to Tokyo for the first time and wondering what you absolutely want to do during your city break? I've created a bucket list for you! Check it out in the Tokyo Guide.

More in Tokyo

Also watch the Tokyo travel vlogs here:

PSSSST... you can find more (travel) tips in my books!

• Feed Your Wanderlust – Travel Guide for a bohemian lifestyle
• staycation – 22 guides and shortlists for a holiday close to home
• Wanderlust – Urban Travel Style Guide
• The Amsterdam City Guide (Dutch) & The Amsterdam City Guide (English)

Great as a gift for yourself or someone who loves to travel as much as you do!

WITH LOVE,

ANNE