About Sendai

Sendai, the largest city in the Tohoku region, offers a small but distinctive animal cafe scene that rewards visitors who venture beyond the Tokyo-Osaka-Kyoto triangle. The main draw is Ricky, a multi-species cafe in the Ichibancho shopping district in Aoba-ku that specializes in owls but also features an assortment of small, friendly animals. Located on the fourth floor of the Bear Building, Ricky charges just 1,000 yen including unlimited soft drinks and lets you pet owls gently, pose for photos with smaller species, and watch thrilling barn owl flight demonstrations across the room. The Ichibancho covered arcade and the parallel Clis Road shopping street form Sendai's cafe district, with cat cafes and small animal encounters scattered among the shops. Sendai's cafes see far fewer international tourists than those in larger cities, meaning English signage can be limited but the experience feels more authentically local. The city is roughly 90 minutes from Tokyo on the Tohoku Shinkansen, making it feasible as a day trip. Sendai is famous for its Tanabata Festival in August and its signature gyutan beef tongue cuisine, both excellent reasons to build a longer visit around your animal cafe plans.

Animal Types Available