Where are you going to travel during the holidays in September, also known as "Silver Week"? The author's recommendation is Fukushima. Unfortunately, the peach hunting season is over, but you can enjoy pear hunting and grape hunting. The fruits of Fukushima are surprisingly delicious, aren't they?

If you enjoy the fruits to your heart's content and become happy, why not make your cat happy? If you go to Fukushima's cat cafe "Kokoneko", you can do that too.


"Kokoneko" is a protected cat cafe that opened on July 22 in Koriyama City, Fukushima Prefecture. A protected cat from the "Animal Rescue Team Nyanda Guard" in Miharu Town, Fukushima Prefecture, has been dispatched as a staff member and is in charge of customer service (?).


As of September 11, 2016, the staff cats in "Kokoneko" are "Miko", "Kota", "Kasumi", "Perotan", "Punk", and "Suzuran". 6 of them. All of them are cats selected from Nyanda Guard shelters, and if they meet at "Kokoneko" and have a good match, they may become foster parents and take over.


The staff consists of three children protected in Okuma Town, where the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant is located. These children are believed to have been separated from their owners when the Great East Japan Earthquake struck. It used to be a domestic cat, so it's characteristic that it's used to people.


The remaining three were born after the earthquake and are still young children protected in various parts of Fukushima Prefecture. The children may not have been kept by people, but they are still energetic and friendly.


By the way, the biggest feature of "Kokoneko" that such staff welcomes you is the creation of that space. The interior of the store, which is about 10 tatami mats, is fully satisfying even for those who come all the way from afar.

Of particular note is the Cat Tower & Cat Walk. This is not a ready-made product that was bought and installed, but a carpenter who was in charge of interior work created it from scratch. For this reason, it seems that the finish is really solid.


Good materials are used, from building materials used for walls and floors to ceiling lighting. Isn't it possible to say that the working environment of cats is good? Underfloor heating is installed on the floor to prepare for the cold winter in Fukushima.


A door is installed in the toilet. It is devised so that the smell does not flow into the store as much as possible.


"Kokoneko" is a crowdfunding site READYFOR? A cafe realized by a campaign by. Tomoko Kasai, the operator, said that it was thanks to the supporters who contributed to the creation of the above-mentioned space for cats.

Customers spend their time at "Kokoneko" by sitting on the floor and playing with cats, lying down and taking pictures, and watching cats walking on the catwalk from below. By the way, many customers say, "I want to keep a cat, but for some reason I can't." Still, people who want to interact with cats are coming to "Kokoneko".


If cat lovers pay the entrance fee and play with cats, both cat lovers and cats will be happy. How about going out for Silver Week?

Admission is 500 yen for adults and 300 yen for elementary school students in a 30-minute course. This course is perfect for those who are thinking, "What if I don't have a good cat and I'm going home soon ...", to try it out. The 90-minute course costs 1,000 yen for adults and 800 yen for elementary school students, and includes drinks. After that, it will be 400 yen every 30 minutes of extension. The admission fee is used for the salary of staff cats (crispy, etc.) and for air conditioning and heating.


The location is 22 Kamigawara, Tamuramachi, Koriyama City, Fukushima Prefecture (with parking space). Business hours are from 12:00 to 18:00. The regular holiday is Tuesday. It may be crowded during the holidays, so it may be a good idea to check the congestion status by phone in advance before going out. The phone number is 024-973-8522.