In July, 14 baby meerkats arrived at Meerkat Cafe googoo. The smallest of them was just 45 days old when it arrived — small enough to fit in the palm of a hand.
As of August 1, those babies are out on the shop floor.
A Sight Only Visible This Summer
Meerkats change remarkably within just a few months of birth.
Their wobbly first steps, sleeping piled up with their littermates, and following the adults around — these are all things that can only be seen right now.
It's rare for 14 babies to be going through this stage all at once.
They Live as a Mob, Not One by One
Meerkats (Suricata suricatta) are highly social animals that, in the wild, live in groups called "mobs" of 10 to 40 individuals.
At googoo, the meerkats live together as a mob, and the babies grow up as members of that mob, learning a great deal from the more senior animals.
Some stand watch, some dig, some sleep huddled together — the kind of behavior you wouldn't see if each animal were kept alone in its own cage, but that shows up when they live as a mob.
Watch Them Stand Up, Right in Front of You
Meerkats actively approach visitors on their own.
Some climb onto laps, some climb onto shoulders, some stare right into your eyes. Visitors are free to take photos and videos.
The way they approach visitors is completely different from a dog or cat cafe.
Why the Babies Are Introduced to Visitors So Young
For meerkats, socialization during infancy (roughly 3 to 6 months old) shapes their personality for the rest of their lives.
Individuals that only interact with a small number of people during this period tend to grow up wary of strangers, and are more likely to bite or flee.
Spending these first few months around many different people is what builds a calm, people-accustomed temperament.
googoo has published this thinking, along with its reasoning, in its animal welfare policy: meer.cafe/welfare-policy
Visitor Information
- 60 minutes: ¥3,300 per person (tax included)
- Drinks: from ¥550 (one drink order required)
- Feeding experience: from +¥330 (tax included) — lets you give the meerkats treats directly
- Private booking: ¥24,000 for 30 minutes (before tax; ¥26,400 tax included), billed in 30-minute increments, available from 1 person
- Reservations: official LINE (@googoo_cafe) or phone (0422-26-0587)
Group visits from preschools, after-school programs, and companies are also welcome. Staff-only preview visits for group organizers are welcome too.
Two Things to Know Before You Visit
Because the meerkats approach visitors on their own, admission is limited to those who are able to sit by themselves. Children who are uncomfortable with animals approaching them will need to wait outside the shop.
As these are living animals, hands-on interaction may be paused depending on their health.
Shop Information
- Name: Meerkat Cafe googoo
- Featured in rurubu&more. (February 2024) as "Kichijoji's first meerkat-specialty cafe in Japan": https://rurubu.jp/andmore/article/20941
- Location: Musashino, Tokyo — 1 minute on foot from the Inokashira Park exit
- Hours: 11:00 AM to 7:00 PM (Mondays until 6:30 PM)
- Track record: 50 meerkats raised in total, 23 "graduated" from the cafe
- Registration: Animal handling business license (exhibition/sales), Tokyo Registration No. 23-Ten-103430
- Responsible animal handler: 東海林 藍
- Website: meer.cafe
