Top Owl Cafés in Osaka

Mar 26, 2024

Top Owl Cafés in Osaka

There are all sorts of animal cafés around Japan, most of which feature pets like cats, dogs, hedgehogs, and reptiles. However, nothing beats spending time with some majestic owls while you sip a beverage. Osaka has several owl cafés, all of which are great places to go if you want to see the birds up close.

1. Owl Cafe Quill

Owl Cafe Quill is a top place to go to learn more about owls. It’s home to a variety of species, including tawny owls, southern white-faced owls, and Eurasian eagle-owls. The owners are knowledgable about their owls and can tell you many interesting facts about the different species. They also hold the occasional seminar.

The first floor of the building is a regular restaurant. On the second floor, you’ll find the café where you can interact with the owls. The entrance fee gives you a drink and time to spend with the owl of your choice. The third floor is not open to the public — this is an air-conditioned, air-purified space where the owls have plenty of room to fly around at night.

Where: 1-5-7 Ukida, Kita Ward (map)
Open Hours: 2:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. Tuesday to Friday; 1:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. Saturday to Sunday

2. Happy Owl Cafe Chouette

The other most-visited owl café in Osaka has to be Happy Owl Cafe Chouette. Again, the entrance fee gives you access to the owls as well as a drink of your choice. There is information about each of the owls, including their names and whether you’re allowed to touch just their heads or their whole bodies.

Bear in mind, you’ll need to book a slot in advance and then pay when you arrive, at which time you can choose add-ons like feeding the owls or having an owl sit on you (including on your head) for a photo. The café has all wooden decor, which makes a great setting for photos.

Where: 1-9-21 Higashi Shinsaibashi, Chuo Ward (map)
Open Hours: 12:00 p.m.to 7:00 p.m. Tuesday to Friday; 11:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. Saturday to Sunday

3. Owl Cafe Crew

In Minoh city in Osaka prefecture, you’ll find Owl Cafe Crew. As well as owls, there are parrots — around 20 birds in total. The birds live in one area of the café and the rest of the space is a restaurant with a varied menu. If you come when it’s already dark, you should find the owls are quite active.

Where: 6-4-46 Minoo, Minoh (map)

Open Hours: 2:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. and 7:00 p.m. to 12:00 a.m. Tuesday to Friday; 12:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. Saturday to Sunday

To ensure you don’t stress the owls, it’s important to listen to the instructions the staff give you before you enter the café. For instance, some cafés will allow you to pet owls only on their heads and backs, gently using the back of your hand. It’s worth visiting at least one of the above cafés while you’re in Osaka for the unique experience of seeing and interacting with these wild birds.

Perry Li, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons