
Besides being cute, these felines also lend a paw in running their respective establishments.
In connection with Japan’s Cat Day on February 22, travel information and news site Jalan News shared the results of a survey it conducted from January 10-12 about cats. It wasn’t about just any cats, however, but specifically the “poster cats” of various hotels, traditional Japanese ryokan inns, and other lodging establishments across the country. Ultimately, 1,078 participants collectively chose the top three cats that site users would most want to meet in real life while traveling. Let’s take a peek at the pawsitively purrfect winners, shall we?
Third place: Choco (“Chocolate”)
Sakihana Onsen Kahan no Yado Hekisuiso (咲花温泉 河畔の宿 碧水荘), Niigata Prefecture
Website
Our third place winner, Choco, enjoys meeting lots of new people every day at Sakihana Onsen’s Hekisuiso. In fact, he’s even tasked with welcoming and seeing off guests at check-in and check-out times. Whether he’s playing with children or posing for pictures, it’s sometimes easy to forget that Choco is a cat!
▼ Choco
Second place: Kiiro (“Yellow”)
Sarugakyo Onsen Dining Ryokan Higuchi (猿ヶ京温泉 料理旅館 樋口), Gunma Prefecture
Website
The older brother of a pair of siblings rescued two years ago, Kiiro is charged with greeting all guests at reception and taking care of them throughout their stays at Ryokan Higuchi. Even better, if you let the staff know that you’d like a personal visit, they’ll even take him to your room. Kiiro wasn’t taught how to do any of these things–he’s just a natural hotel manager at heart.
▼ Kiiro
First place: Rabu (“Love”)
Tsukikage no Oka Hotel Villa Katsuyama Avail (月影の丘ホテル ヴィラ勝山アヴェール), Chiba Prefecture
Website
The No. 1 hotel cat that survey takers would like to meet is Katsuyama Avail’s Rabu! Rabu gets his name from a heart-shaped marking on his back. Besides that amazing charm point, he’s extremely sociable and may try to climb up your legs if you ignore his meows for pets. He has even been known to not allow his favorite guests to check out on more than one occasion. Some guests voice that he’s definitely given them a boost for their love lives.
▼ Rabu
It’s clear from the survey results that Choco, Kiiro, and Rabu are beloved by hotel staff, guests, and locals alike. Why not try to hit up all three on your next travels? Or, if you already have a feline friend of your own, maybe you’d prefer to book a stay in another kind of cat-friendly hotel.
Source: Jalan News
Top image: PR Times (edited by SoraNews24)
Insert images: PR Times
● Want to hear about SoraNews24’s latest articles as soon as they’re published? Follow us on Facebook and Twitter!
[ Read in Japanese ]




Japanese travelers choose the top five inn cats that they want to meet in the whole country
Japan’s 10 best ryokan inns and top 10 hotels, as chosen by foreign visitors
Japanese travellers give their answers to the Hotel vs. Ryokan Japanese inn debate
2020’s most popular hot springs in Japan, as ranked by Japanese travelers
Traditional Japanese inn offers ultimate amenity: A cat companion to spend the night with
X Japan vocalist Toshi becomes a YouTuber, makes Christmas pancakes【Video】
That time Seiji called JASRAC to ask why he didn’t get paid royalties for his song being on TV
Pizza Hut Japan’s hot lucky bags are perfect for a New Year’s pizza party
7-Eleven Japan’s ramen-cooking robot whipped us up a bowl of noodles【Taste test】
Starbucks Japan ready to get Year of the Horse started with adorable drinkware and plushies【Pics】
What did Shibuya really look like after the crowds on New Year’s Day?
We try 400-year-old Ghost Child Care Candy – so good it’ll raise the dead
The most preposterous “adult” gacha capsule toys at Akihabara Station
You can now visit a recreation of Evangelion’s Tokyo-3 and live there in miniature form in【Pics】
Cup Noodle tries an authentic Jiro-style ramen, but something’s not quite right
7 great places to see Mt. Fuji from without having to climb it
Cyberpunk anime meets traditional culture in Ghost in the Shell gold leaf Japanese changing screens
Hayao Miyazaki says Happy New Year to Studio Ghibli fans with new art for Year of the Horse
Hello Kitty Choco Egg figures are an adorable trip through three periods of Japanese pop culture【Pics】
We found possibly the quietest Japanese-style hotel in Tokyo’s bustling Shinjuku district
Sumo Sanrio! Hello Kitty and pals team up with Japan Sumo Association for new merch【Pics】
Japan’s oldest largetooth sawfish in captivity back on display in Mie Prefecture
More Than a Capsule Stay: Why Solo Travelers Choose “global cabin Yokohama Chinatown”
7-Eleven Japan starts new temporary luggage storage service in over 300 branches
Disillusionment at Tsukiji’s tourist-target prices led us to a great ramen restaurant in Tokyo
Starbucks teams up with 166-year-old Kyoto doll maker for Year of the Horse decorations【Photos】
Tokyo considering law requiring more trash cans following litter increase in heavily touristed area
Tokyo’s Tsukiji sushi neighborhood asks tour groups to stay away for the rest of the month
Tokyo event lets you travel back in time, for free, to celebrate 100 years since Showa era start
Sanrio theme park in Japan announces plans to expand into a Sanrio resort
Japan may add Japanese language proficiency, lifestyle classes to permanent foreign resident requirements
Stamina-destroying “Paralysis Noodles” are Tokyo’s newest over-the-top ramen innovation
Survey asks foreign tourists what bothered them in Japan, more than half gave same answer
Japan’s human washing machines will go on sale to general public, demos to be held in Tokyo
Japan’s deadliest food claims more victims, but why do people keep eating it for New Year’s?
We deeply regret going into this tunnel on our walk in the mountains of Japan
Studio Ghibli releases Kodama forest spirits from Princess Mononoke to light up your home
Major Japanese hotel chain says reservations via overseas booking sites may not be valid
Put sesame oil in your coffee? Japanese maker says it’s the best way to start your day【Taste test】
No more using real katana for tourism activities, Japan’s National Police Agency says
Starbucks Japan reveals new sakura drinkware collection, inspired by evening cherry blossoms
Updated cherry blossom forecast shows extra-long sakura season for Japan this year
Rakuten Travel reveals the top 5 best-rated, off-the-beaten-track Japanese ryokan inns
The 10 best hotel hot springs in Japan, as chosen by Japanese travelers
World’s second-oldest hotel offers new self-service stays to cope during pandemic
This super cheap, super Japanese-looking Tokyo hotel is a hit with foreign travelers
Japan’s top five retro hot springs for a time trip back to the onsen past, as chosen by travelers
Japanese YouTuber seeking last minute hotel lodgings finds room for one that “might be a bit big”
Leave a Reply