Tokyo is known for its many themed cafes, including ones dedicated to cats and owls. Customers who stop in for coffee can play with the critters.
In the city’s bustling Shibuya district, the latest sensation is ChikuChiku Cafe, a recently opened space that’s reportedly Japan’s first to be dedicated to . . . hedgehogs.
ChikuChiku’s collection of trained hedgehogs — small, spiny mammals that resemble porcupines, although their spikes are quite soft — live in dollhouses placed atop long counters. Each dollhouse depicts a different scene: One is of a bathroom with a claw-foot tub, another is of a classroom with a chalkboard, while a third is of a garden.
Not only can patrons take photos of the hedgehogs, but they can also hold them and feed them. But be warned: These cute little creatures can bite.
Admission prices start from $12 for 30 minutes of hedgehog company.