Tucked away in a quiet residential area in Nakano, Marmot Village is exactly what it sounds like: a cafe where you can spend time with marmots. It is probably the only place in Tokyo where can watch a marmot up close. While no touching is allowed, it helps that they’re interesting to watch because their faces are so expressive.
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What are marmots?
Marmots are large, ground-dwelling rodents that belong to the squirrel family. They are found across parts of North America, Europe, and Asia, usually in mountainous or open landscapes. Species like the Himalayan marmot or alpine marmot are especially well known. Physically, they have stout bodies, short legs, bushy tails, and expressive faces that make them very meme-able.
What to expect at Marmot Village Tokyo
Unlike most animal cafes, you are not allowed to touch the marmots. You mostly just sit, watch, and occasionally feed a marmot that may or may not be interested.
When you first enter, you are asked to take off your shoes and change into Crocs, as well as sanitize your hands. Make sure you are wearing socks otherwise you will be made to purchase a pair, as entering barefooted is not permitted.
The staff will give a short explanation of the rules. There are seven marmots at the Tokyo branch, which are rotated throughout the day so they have time to rest. On the day I went, there were three active marmots, with the remainder sleeping in another enclosure.
You can sit on stools and watch them, and freely take photos. The staff at times entered the enclosure to break up fights between two marmots, and would also hold them up for visitors to get a closer look. You can also pay to buy snacks (vegetables) to feed them, with thongs.
That’s it. If you’re expecting something highly interactive, this is not the place. But not touching is better for the animals, so maybe it is slightly more ethical than your average animal cafe?
There is also a merchandise corner where you can buy various marmot-themed goods.
Feeding
You can feed the marmots by buying a snack bowl of carrots, sweet potatoes, and cabbage for a few hundred yen. You use thongs to feed them over the enclosure wall. As expected, a lot of people have been feeding them throughout the day, so if you go at a later timeslot they will probably not be so interested in eating. The staff had to coax them to take the food from visitors at times. I am glad I decided not to buy snacks for them because it would have been a waste.
Cost and system
All visits must be booked in advance — no walk-ins are accepted. Bookings can be made on the official website (English is supported). There are two plans you can pick from:
- Casual plan (20 minutes) – 1,800 yen per person
- Full experience plan (60 minutes) – 2,800 yen per person (includes a drink and free souvenir)
If you add their official account on LINE and book through the menu items there, you can get 300 yen off per person. Slots can fill up quickly on weekends, so make sure you plan ahead if there is a particular day you wish to go.
I booked the 60-minute plan, and the souvenir was a marmot keychain.
Getting there
The cafe also has branch in Osaka, but I visited the one in Tokyo (Nakano), so its details are as below:
Address: 東京都中野区野方4-46-10
4-46-10 Nogata, Nakano-ku, Tokyo
Access: 5-minutes walk from Nogata Station on the Seibu Shinjuku Line.
The cafe is open from 10am to 6pm everyday, with an hour break from 12pm – 1pm for the marmots.
If you want something more interactive than Marmot Village Tokyo, check out the archives for more animal-related activities!