Rodents of Unusual Size

Japan is an amazing place to visit as a tourist, though I might not recommend it for someone’s first time abroad: the rewards are high, but so is the learning curve.  As for me, I probably participate in a lot more touristy activities in Japan when traveling with my husband than I otherwise would if I went by myself.  On my own, I would just visit friends and chosen family in Fukushima for as long as I could.  We stayed in Japan for another week after my Climate Lab session had concluded, and given the difficult year I was having, plus the fact that I hadn’t seen my Japanese family since the early days of 2020, I insisted on spending the better part of that week in the prefecture I called home for two years.  

But since my husband was not thrilled at the idea of quietly gazing at mountains for five days, we packed some novel activities into the itinerary on either side of our time in the north – and when it comes to novel activities, Tokyo has that in spades.  Our last time in Tokyo, almost five years earlier, involved a tour of animal cafes.  I went to one of the first cat cafes in Tokyo almost 20 years ago when they were a new concept but extremely popular in a country where living quarters are often small with restrictions on pets.  Now that most major cities have them (including where I live now), there has been some branching out of animal options, including hedgehogs, mini pigs, owls, and capybaras. We visited all but the capybaras last time because reservations were almost impossible to get, making it a top goal for this trip.

Hydrochoerus hydrochaeris

As of fall 2024, there were two capybara cafes in Tokyo, and they still book up weeks in advance, which speaks to the draw of these interesting creatures.  If you’re thinking that the capybara seems like an odd animal to find in Japan, you would be right.  Native to South America, the capybara is the largest rodent in the world, with adults averaging just over 100 lbs in size.  These gentle giants have webbed feet to aid with swimming and split their time between land and water, feeding on grasses and aquatic plants. Mothers can give birth to up to two litters of four pups each year, but these prolific breeders are at risk because of habitat destruction, deforestation, and poaching. [2]

Capybaras first came to Japan in the 1960s as exotic features in zoos throughout the country.  Japan’s love affair with them began because of their cute features, laid back demeanor, and easy companionship with other animals. [3]  For decades capybaras have graced stationery and school supplies – I think the first time I even heard of them was in Japan when I encountered a plush toy, kapibarasan.  People all over the country flock to zoos in the winter to watch them soak in onsen, even timing them to see who will stay in the hot water the longest. [4]  

An Ethical Mixed Bag

I love getting to interact with animals, and I love getting to observe them in their natural habitat.  Unfortunately, those two activities are generally not compatible, especially when it comes to exotic animals.  I have owned an exotic pet, and as much as I loved him, I also felt guilty for telling the invisible hand of the marketplace that it should continue to supply lizards native to southern China to pet stores in the northeastern US.  Nor did it seem fair to my water dragon that he could only really live in the enclosure I built him, large though it was.  The anti-zoo movement promotes some similar sentiments, stating that no matter how much care is afforded captive animals, they will still suffer the stress of confinement and separation from their natural environment. [5]

As is the case with many topics I cover on this blog, there’s potential for a big, fuzzy grey area – and I’ve been to my fair share of animal cafes over the years.  Many cat cafes rescue cats from shelters (or disaster areas [7]) and sometimes facilitate adoption to patrons; the time at the cafe helps socialize them and get them ready for a transition into a home.  Obviously, it’s much easier to achieve success on that front with domesticated animals that don’t require specialized knowledge or supplies.  The owl cafe we visited in Tokyo was home to owls that had been rehabilitated from injuries but could not be returned to the wild, and proceeds from the cafe supported their care.  Overall I was glad that these weren’t wild animals that were being kept from a life in the wild, though it was later pointed out to me that their conditions could have been better: the owl cafe kept daytime, not nighttime hours, catering to human, not owl activity.  

If you are going to go to an animal cafe, it is important to do some homework before you go.  And while I did some, it would have helped to know a little more about what to look for.  Online reviews can be helpful but subjective, and sometimes you won’t know until you’re there.  Some guidance involves avoiding wild animal cafes altogether and exercising caution when selecting exotic animal cafes.  Even with domestic animal cafes, it’s important to know if the facility is spacious, clean, and allows opportunities for overstimulated animals to hide instead of being forced to entertain their patrons. There are resources to help suss out these differences before you go (or what you can do after the fact if the place you visit seems less-than-reputable.) [8] 

Coffee with Kikurage

Knowing what I know now, the capybara cafe we visited had some pros and cons.  From what I could gather from the staff member with my rusty Japanese, Kikurage the Capybara was bred in captivity and would have babies of her own once she was old enough.  Kii-chan, as she was lovingly called, was clearly catered to, and we got to see her on her terms – she was not told to come out of her bath once we arrived.  But living by herself, instead of a group of 10-20 as she would in the wild, made me very sad, particularly when I thought of her resigned to a life of breeding pups to populate more cafes.  

Kii-chan seemed to largely ignore the multitude of kitty companions who lived there with her, some or all of which seemed to be shelter cats and appeared to be very content, calm, and unbothered.  I also learned that some of the proceeds of this cafe went to support cat adoptions and Trap-Neuter-Release programs [9] in the area, which are fundamentally good things.  I don’t know what percentage of Tokyo cat cafes support adoption and TNR, but it wasn’t lost on me that with the absolute market saturation of cat cafes in the area, we never would have found this one if they didn’t have a capybara.

It can also be argued that being able to see a capybara in person is an enriching experience that fosters a greater appreciation for animals and the world in which we live – many conservationists make that argument, even as animal rights advocates see it differently.  Is it worth the freedom of one capybara to be an ambassador for its species, potentially inspiring a kid who will grow up to promote conservation practices in South America and work to save the lives of more capybaras?  That is not a question I can answer, but it is one I will consider the next time I have a choice to see animals on display.  When faced with that choice, there are certainly some options that are better than others, and I hope to support those if I support any at all.

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How do you feel about animals on display, and where does the line of acceptable vs. unacceptable fall for you (and why)?  I’d be curious to hear about your experiences below (but please be considerate of others and limit any descriptions of animal suffering).
Thank you for reading!

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[1] https://japanhouse.illinois.edu/education/insights/touji-capybara

[2] https://www.worldwildlife.org/stories/are-capybaras-rodents-and-5-other-capybara-facts

[3] https://jobsinjapan.com/living-in-japan-guide/how-japan-fell-in-love-with-the-worlds-largest-rodent

[4] https://jobsinjapan.com/living-in-japan-guide/how-japan-fell-in-love-with-the-worlds-largest-rodent

[5] https://www.treehugger.com/arguments-for-and-against-zoos-127639

[6] https://www.moshimoshi-nippon.jp/64734

[7] https://radicalmoderate.online/kokua-for-maui/

[8] https://stumblesafari.com/animal-cafes-a-guide-to-choosing-an-ethical-cafe-to-visit/

[9] https://radicalmoderate.online/trap-neuter-release-programs/