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Pig Cafe- 3 Things That Will Surprise You

Mini Pig Cafe

One of the reasons Japan stands out to me as such a fun destination for families is all the cute and quirky destinations you can check out for family fun! You can read this post for my top picks on the 5 wackiest things you can do with your family while in Tokyo. This post is a continuation on that travel topic and is all about the mini pig cafes you can find in Tokyo.

Mini pig cafe you ask? Yes! It sounded like a once in a lifetime experience so of course it ended up on my Tokyo bucket list. 😆

Here are the 3 surprising things we did not expect:

1). It’s NOT a pig pen.

It’s actually a clean inviting place where you take your shoes off at check-in, slide into slippers, and where you are asked to sanitize your hands before and after the experience. I know, I too thought it was a strange request to ask us to sanitize ourselves before handling pigs haha. Once you sit down in what looks more like a playroom instead of a pig pen, they will give you a soft blanket for your lap. This helps protect your clothes and also invites the pigs to sit with you.

2). Pigs will want to snuggle with you!

I found this the most surprising part of the experience. I assumed pigs would have no interest in human companionship and that I’d spend most of my time there wistfully trying to catch and pet one. But the moment I sat down, I had a few curious pigs sniff me, walk around to all of us and pick one of us to lay with. OMG pigs are so friendly and affectionate!! They LOVE attention! You’ll never have felt so wanted in your life!

Surprisingly, there was no warning up period. (Unlike bunnies, they immediately trusted us strangers). Some even fought to be on our laps. At one time, I had up to 5 little pigs on me and felt as thought I was HOGging them all. In fact, we all had multiple piggies all want to be our best friend. This resulted in tons of giggles from my 10-year old and some cramped legs for my husband who for some reason only had the larger black pigs interested in him.

3). Pigs are smart and make great pets!

The friendly staff answered all my questions about their micro pigs and I learned so much! Who knew for instance, pigs can live 10-15 years? AND they’re stunningly smarter than cats and dogs and have done better at cognitive tests than the average 3 year old human child. They’re also all potty trained just like our bunny is. They go in litter trays. This all left me wondering why pigs get such a bad rap. They’re not filthy animals that are only good for ham, pork, sausage and bacon after all! 😆

This unforgettable experience was so much fun and had me obsessed with finding out more about pig ownership. I now know why celebrities like Megan Fox, Paris Hilton, George Clooney and David Beckham owned pigs as pets! BTW, this cafe allows for adoptions in case you fall in love and just have to take one home!! Be careful, cuz these cuddly cuties will totally steal your heart. They may even have you rethinking your willingness to eat pork, bacon, sausage and ham. My daughter has already given all of it up after this visit… Let’s see how long this lasts.

TIPS

*RSVP! Time slots fill up quickly and while walk-ins are welcome you don’t want to be disappointed at the door only to find that private, more pricier options are the only spaces left. Many have been turned away because of filled up spots and lack of space.

*Be on time because every minute you miss is simply lost. The Harajuku location is on a tiny side street right off the one with the Snoopy cafe and can be a bit hard to find. So make sure to allot extra time plus MPig asks you arrive 10 minutes before to review the rules, and get set up with their locker and slippers anyways.

*Private sessions are available where you get 1 pig per person (provided at random..you don’t get to choose). Mpig has been criticized for this since in the main room you could easily have 5 pigs on you at any one time. However, in your semi-enclosed private space, you’ll get to learn how to pick up the pigs. (That’s not allowed in the main area).

For more info and to make your reservations click here.

For 5 more must-see, wild and wacky things to do in Tokyo, click here!