TOKYO - First, there were the maid cafes, their customers
pampered by women in maids' uniforms. Then came the cat cafes,
which allowed cat lovers to play with frisky felines while sipping
a cup of coffee.
Now, enter the goat cafe, which houses a pair of friendly goats for
customers to pet, play with and even take for walks through Tokyo's
concrete jungle.
Rena Kawaguchi and her staff brought the animals - named Sakura and
Chocolat, or Cherry and Chocolate - three years ago, hoping to
attract a new breed of animal-loving customers and spice up
flagging weekend business.
"Back then animal cafes were booming, places where you could play
with cats or dogs," Kawaguchi said. "But we reckoned a normal
animal like that wouldn't have the wow factor of a goat."
Customers can pet the goats in their pen while drinking a coffee,
or book a slot to take them for a walk through the crowded area
surrounding Shibuya station, a hub for commuters and Tokyo's
trend-conscious youth.
"When you live in the city like I do, places where you can meet
animals are so far away and you rarely get the time to go there,"
said Kotaro Nakazato, a 21-year-old university student.
"Having them nearby like this makes it easy to commune with
nature."
Keeping the goats has its challenges. Staff have to muck out their
pen between serving customers, and the goats are fed special
protein-rich pills to prevent foul-smelling droppings.
With the goats proving a hit, Kawaguchi says she's got even bigger
plans. An elephant cafe is at the top of her list, although it was
not clear what her pen-cleaning staff thought of the prospect.
