Animal cafes in Japan offer a charming and unexpected way to relax while connecting with animals in thoughtfully designed ...

Maybe you're brushing up on the Japanese language, are an aficionado of Japanese culture, or have Japanese heritage yourself.

It is not hard to see why people visit animal cafes in Japan. Animals are cute. Owl lovers want a close-up experience. Capybaras look so unbothered that you can imagine they’re enjoying the attention.

Imagine sipping a latte while stroking an owl or watching an otter play at your feet. This is the promise of exotic animal cafes, a trend that blends coffee culture with wildlife encounters. But ...

Ever lowered yourself into a perfectly warm bath or hot tub and immediately closed your eyes in relaxation? It turns out that capybaras, the world’s largest and most meme-able rodent, essentially ...

A woman went viral on TikTok after warning travelers to Japan to skip the animal cafes while they’re there. User @kyokoemi said there are plenty of reasons to avoid them “at all costs.” “PSA: remove ...

Cute features in babies and animals are more than just amusing—they trigger powerful evolutionary responses that help our species’ survival. Moo Deng, the baby pygmy hippo that has become famous ...

What kind of relationship did Japanese people and animals have during the early modern Edo period (1603–1868)? An exhibition exploring this historical relationship through ukiyo-e (traditional ...