What is “Calico Cat”?
To Japanese people, calico cats are known as the motif of beckoning cat, and comes with the image of a good luck symbol. Hearing a cat café, where you can see calico cats which are rather rare overseas, has been open at Dotonbori, I had a visit!
Mike-neko or a calico cat is a cat which hair is in three colors, that is, white, brown and black. Its character is footloose and they are called “the cat among cats.” If you like cats, then, you would definitely fascinated with their hot and cold attitude!
How to visit and join
Coming out from the exit No.14 of Namba station on Osaka Metro Midosuji line, you follow “Dotonbori shotengai (arcade)” approx. 200 meters to the east, you would find a slender building on the left side. Calico Cat Cafe is in the same building as Mameshiba café.
*Prices in the photo are for 2020.
Once you go up to the 2nd floor, you will see the reception on the left, so make a payment first. Since there is an admission limit, you should wait for a while, checking their souvenir corner or watching a video next to the casher.
*Prices in the photo are for 2020.
There is a valued set ticket also used for “Mameshiba café” of small shiba inu located in the same building as Calico Cat Cafe. So, please visit there as well!
Going to the third floor with the ticket, there is an entrance of Calico Cat Cafe. Take your shoes off and enter the room, then, there are rockers to put your shoes and belongings. Photos and videos are allowed, but, using flash is prohibited. Please reconfirm this issue before taking photos and videos.
Inside the room there are ukiyoe in which cats are illustrated. You would understand that cats have long been close to Japanese people.
Drink is available from their drink bar. Please put the lid to avoid cats’ hair falling in.
About the inside
There are many cat-walks here and there in the shop, and so, you can see the high level of their physical ability close by. Moving smoothly in a high place is great! Even those who have cats seldom look up them from the bottom? (Please be careful not to hit your head on the cat-walk.)
This cat putting his leg over and having a doze is a rare male calico cat. The percentage of birth of male calico cat is 1:30,000. It is very rare. That is why it is said that he would bring you good luck. Fluffy hair makes a gorgeous look. I showed him some toys, then, he came to play with me.
This calico cat has eyes mismatched in color and is called odd-eye. Usually it is thought that white cats tend to have mismatched eye colors, but actually there is a possibility for calico cats to have them, too, especially if a cat has a higher percentage of white hair. This is a rare chance to spend time with this unusual odd-eye calico cat.
Footloose cats. Each one was staying at one’s favorite place quietly or playing alone. They have been accustomed to people. So, when I gave gentle strokes, they closed eyes comfortably, or entertained me with toys.
When touching them, it is better to give gentle strokes with your fingers around the chin, then, they would show you comfortable looks.
Even though they are all gentle, if find one sleeping, just watch him/her without touching.
Watching them suddenly chasing or playing with each other is healing. It is not like I play with them like with dogs, but it is more like I get healed by watching them playing.
Calico cats have long been loved as a symbol of good luck all over the world. One with long hair, or with odd eyes, male calico, … “Calico Cat Cafe” is a place where you can see rare calico cats in one visit. Once you just step inside the building from the busy streets with tourists, there is a place where time goes slowly. It is nice to visit there to take rest.
Shop information
| Shop Name | Calico Cat Cafe |
| Address | (reception) 2nd floor, Hina Bldg, 1-6-13 Dotonbori, Chuo-ku, Osaka-shi, Osaka |
| Map | |
| Business Hours | ・12:30PM ～ 6:00PM（Weekdays） ・11:00AM ～ 6:00PM（Saturdays, Sundays & Holidays） |
| Closed | None |
*The information herein is as of January 2020.
