If you love animals, especially cats, the shelter cat ＆ VEGAN café “neu” (保護猫とVeganカフェneu) is the spot for you when you are in the Namba/Shinsaibashi Area. It is a spot where you can enjoy vegan food and meet rescued cats waiting to be adopted. Each of them is cute and has a unique personality. The dining area on the second floor is next to the cat’s room, which is enclosed with glass, keeping the dining space hygienic.
Iwashita-san (岩下さん) is the owner of neu. She is a big animal lover who wants to do something for the animals around her. So, she and her friends started rescuing the stray cats and the ones in shelters around her. As you can imagine, things could get out of hand the more cats they helped. So, she started the café in 2018, a middle point between the rescued cats and prospective future families.
What to Expect When Visiting shelter cat ＆ VEGAN café “neu”
The ground floor is the space for the rescued cats, where customers can play with them. Cat treats are also available for purchase if you want to be surrounded by the fuzzy felines in the room. You will surely enjoy their attention, and some of them might even give you purrs!
The small dining space on the second floor is heaven for cat lovers. Decorated with various cat decor, even the cutleries and crockeries are cat-themed! You can observe the cute felines in the cat room while eating through the window. Through the big windows, sunlight brightens up the space. Together with the indoor plants, a warm and relaxing ambiance is created. If you are hungry, order a dish from the menu. They are all home-style Japanese comfort foods made vegan.
- Refer to HERE for neu’s menu.
- Food is only served from Saturday to Monday. Drinks are served from Tuesday to Friday.
- You will get a discount if you order from the food menu and also want to visit the cat rooms.
neu also has a cat-themed miscellaneous goods section on the second floor, where you will find a wide variety of items, including T-shirts, key chains, bags, and handmade collars. T-shirts were the first product introduced to the cafe. From there, illustrations by regular customers, Iwashita-san’s own illustrations, and the mascot cat were merchandised one after another.
What to Do Upon Arrival at VEGAN café “neu”
Remember to take off your shoes before proceeding further into the cafe after you walk past the gate. You will also see a washing basin. Please wash your hands there to protect the cats from bacteria and potential diseases from the outside.
There are also slippers at the entrance for you to wear. If you have large bags, leave them inside the lockers.
The Rules to Play With the Cats at neu
- Take off your shoes and sanitize your hands before entering the cafe. Socks are essential.
- Socks can be purchased on the spot if you don’t want to wear a pair during the day.
- No outside food or drinks are allowed.
- Please avoid applying perfume.
- Do not use flash when taking pictures.
- Keep your voice low and don’t run around.
- As a precaution against spreading bacteria and potential diseases to the cats in the cafe, please refrain from visiting neu if you have visited other cat cafes or pet stray cats on the day already.
Tip: Pants or long skirt is recommended to avoid you from accidentally being scratched when they jump or climb on you.
shelter cat ＆ VEGAN café “neu”’s Business Hours, the Cost, and Access Information
- neu is open from
- 1 pm to 9 pm on weekdays
- 12 pm to 8 pm on weekends and public holidays
- If you want to play with the cats, it costs 1,500 yen per hour. To extend the session, it costs 300 yen per 15 minutes.
- The cat cafe is a 5-minute walk from Osaka Metro’s Matsuyamachi Station (松屋町駅) or an 8-minute walk from Tanimachi Rokuchōme Station (谷町六丁目駅).
- As the cafe can be hard to find, refer to the photos HERE to get directions from the station.
Discover Other Vegan/Vegetarian-Friendly Restaurants in Osaka
Obviously, the Namba and Shinsaibashi area in Osaka won’t be the only part of the prefecture you visit. Other parts of the prefecture has vegan-friendly restaurants, too!
So refer to our Top Vegan and Vegetarian-Friendly Restaurants in Osaka for places to enjoy delicious vegan/vegetarian food!
