6 purr-fect spots in Tokyo for cat lovers

Set in a renovated 90-plus-year-old wooden house in Yanaka, Café Nekoemon lets you paint your own maneki-neko figurine over a cup of tea and some sweets (set with small figurine ¥1,650, or ¥2,200 for a bigger moggy). If you’ve already purchased a cute beckoning cat at its sister shop next door, then just come for the kitty-shaped pastries and cakes: Mont Blanc, cheesecake (both at ¥495 each) or the black or white éclair (¥440). Japanese-style desserts are available as well – think anmitsu (jelly in sugar syrup topped with red bean jam) or ice cream with red bean paste, both of which come with wafers in the shape of a cat’s head and a cup of green tea (¥770 each).

This charming cat café introduces you to a whole new level of cuteness. Located within the themed shopping and food ‘village’ Kichijouji Petit Mura, the facade looks like a magical cat­-kingdom castle straight out of a fairy tale. A selection of 19 cats are on hand to be cuddled, and offer highly Instagrammable photo opportunities, especially at feeding time. When it comes to snacks, the smart money’s on the tasty parfaits garnished with cute cat­-shaped cookies.

Hidden out deep in Setagaya, this ‘cat temple’ is thought to be the origin of maneki neko, Japan’s famous ‘beckoning cat’ that serves as a symbol of good luck. Gotokuji may seem ordinary at first glance – until you see the army of cat figurines sitting in the corner next to the temple. These figurines are sold at the administration building and customarily returned to the shelf after wishes are granted. See how many hidden feline motifs you can spot across the site, which is also known for its beautiful autumn leaves.

Tucked away on a side street in Yanaka, Gallery Necomachi holds exclusively cat-themed exhibitions. An ivy-covered stone staircase, adorned with realistic-looking white cat figurines at the bottom and top plus a feline-shaped fence, leads up to the three-storey building.

The storybook setting brings to mind Studio Ghibli films, in particular ‘Whisper of the Heart’ and ‘The Cat Returns’. Exhibitions change regularly, covering a wide range of mediums from ceramic art and sculpture to painting and photography. Note that the gallery is only open from Thursday through to Sunday.

You can spot Neco Action easily from afar – two comical black cats with yellow eyes greet you from the large sign above the entrance. Step into a shopful of kitty-themed souvenirs, spanning from stationery, T-shirts, towels and socks to tumblers, mugs, magnets, phone cases and much more besides. You can even shop for items created in collaboration with local cat-loving artists, such as hand-painted and realistic-looking maneki-neko (lucky cat) figurines by illustrator Hitomi, paintings by Japanese artist Inukai, and unique cat figurines made out of clay by artist Rie.

Attracting a steady stream of cat lovers looking to add some furry cuteness to their day, this smallish but well-stocked corner of Jimbocho's Anegawa bookstore features feline-related tomes, magazines, calendars, quirky little accessories and much more. Opened in summer 2013 as a attempt at reviving Anegawa's struggling business, the shop has found a loyal following on Facebook, where the owners regularly upload pictures of the resident kitty, Rikuo. Most of the merchandise is in Japanese, but just browsing the photo books and calendars should be enough to get you in an appropriately purry mood.