Totoro and the Catbus are just two of the Ghibli anime characters that star in this cute cat cosplay collection.
If you’re in one of Japan’s major cities like Tokyo or Osaka, you can find plenty of places to spend time with a feline over a cup of tea. Outside of these large hubs, cat cafes have to do a little more work to get themselves noticed, and in Saitama Prefecture, just north of the country’s capital, there’s a place called Nekoya which has been making news locally and abroad for its resident felines, who appear on Twitter dressed up in all sorts of weird and wonderful costumes.
▼ Most recently, the cats were pictured getting into the Halloween spirit.
Nekoya runs two cat cafes in the prefecture, and the felines at both locations are known for their kitty cosplay. One of the cats at the Kawagoe branch is particularly adorable for looking downright grumpy, whether he’s in costume or lying about without one.
At the main Omiya branch, Frankenstein has been spotted walking about. According to the Tweet, he’s been alive for 7 minutes.
At the same cafe, you might come across a skeleton cat with fur underneath its bones.
Sometimes the cats dress up as characters from popular movies like Finding Nemo.
They even have a costume for Kuidaore Taro, Osaka’s famous mechanical drumming clown.
And because this is Japan, cats dressed up as Pokémon characters is definitely a thing.
There are also a whole lot of other famous anime characters to try on for size. These cats cosplay as the cast of Naruto.
For the 40th anniversary of the manga series Kochira Katsushika-ku Kameari Kōen Mae Hashutsujo (This is the police station in front of Kameari Park in Katsushika Ward), affectionately known as Kochikame, these cats dressed up as the main stars from the series, Kankichi Ryotsu (blue) and Keiichi Nakagawa (yellow). There’s also a cat making a curious appearance as the police box itself.
The photos that have really caught everyone’s attention are the ones featuring adorable Ghibli cosplay outfits. This Spirited Away ensemble features a number of main characters from the film, including Chihiro, Haku, Yubaba, Kamaji the six-armed man, and No Face. All with an added air of special feline flair!
And it’s not just the costumes that bring the characters to life; it’s the scenes they’ve created too, like this one featuring a beautifully replicated bus stop from the Studio Ghibli film My Neighbor Totoro. Here, Totoro waits in a green environment for the Catbus to appear, just like a scene from the movie. The only thing that’s missing is their tiny human friends!
Whether you’re visiting the cafe on your own or with friends, the cats at Nekoya are waiting to greet you!
While the felines often appear in cute cosplay photos on Nekoya’s Twitter account, the staff are always looking out for the welfare of the cats in their care. Customers who visit must abide by an extensive list of rules, which include sanitising hands before entering and no holding or picking up of the animals is allowed. Staff are the only ones who can put costumes on the cats, and more often than not, in their everyday lives, the kitties roam around the premises costume-free. Like humans, their cosplay is generally reserved for photo shoots on special occasions!
Information
Cat Cafe Nekoya / 猫カフェ 猫家(ねこや)
Address: Saitama-ken, Saitama-shi, Omiya-ku, Daimoncho 2-11, Prosper One Building 5F
さいたま市大宮区大門町2-11プロスパーワンビル5F
Hours: 11:00 a.m. – 10:00 p.m. (last entry 9:00 p.m.)
Website (English)
Cat Cafe Nekoya Kawagoe Branch / 猫カフェ 猫家(ねこや)川越店
Address: Saitama-ken, Kawagoe-shi, Shintomicho 2-2-3, Baron Building 2F
埼玉県川越市新富町2-2-3バロンビル2Ｆ
Hours: 11:00 a.m. – 8:00 p.m.
Website (English)
Source: Twitter/@nekoyacafe
Featured image: Twitter/@nekoyacafe