{"id":103979,"date":"2024-03-28T00:26:21","date_gmt":"2024-03-28T05:26:21","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/news.medill.northwestern.edu\/chicago\/?p=103979"},"modified":"2024-03-28T00:28:30","modified_gmt":"2024-03-28T05:28:30","slug":"in-tokyo-coffee-meets-cuteness-in-the-company-of-capybaras","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/news.medill.northwestern.edu\/chicago\/in-tokyo-coffee-meets-cuteness-in-the-company-of-capybaras\/","title":{"rendered":"In Tokyo, coffee meets cuteness in the company of capybaras"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>By Grace Xue<br \/>\n<em>Medill Reports<\/em><\/p>\n<p>TOKYO &#8211; In Tokyo&#8217;s Sumida district, a quiet residential neighborhood, there&#8217;s always a bustling line forming in a little alley before 11 a.m., opening time for Cafe Capyba. Customers wait patiently to spend 1,250 yen ($8.53) for 30 minutes with capybaras.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_103981\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-103981\" style=\"width: 800px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-103981 size-large\" src=\"https:\/\/s3.amazonaws.com\/medill.wordpress.offload\/wp-media-folder-medill-reports-chicago\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2024\/03\/WechatIMG3597-1024x683.jpeg\" alt=\"Customers entering Cafe Capyba\" width=\"800\" height=\"534\" srcset=\"https:\/\/s3.amazonaws.com\/medill.wordpress.offload\/wp-media-folder-medill-reports-chicago\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2024\/03\/WechatIMG3597-1024x683.jpeg 1024w, https:\/\/s3.amazonaws.com\/medill.wordpress.offload\/wp-media-folder-medill-reports-chicago\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2024\/03\/WechatIMG3597-300x200.jpeg 300w, https:\/\/s3.amazonaws.com\/medill.wordpress.offload\/wp-media-folder-medill-reports-chicago\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2024\/03\/WechatIMG3597-768x512.jpeg 768w, https:\/\/s3.amazonaws.com\/medill.wordpress.offload\/wp-media-folder-medill-reports-chicago\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2024\/03\/WechatIMG3597-1536x1024.jpeg 1536w, https:\/\/s3.amazonaws.com\/medill.wordpress.offload\/wp-media-folder-medill-reports-chicago\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2024\/03\/WechatIMG3597.jpeg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-103981\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Customers enter Cafe Capyba in Tokyo\u2019s Sumida district, Feb. 9, 2024. (Grace Xue\/MEDILL)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>Growing to about 4.3 feet long and weighing up to 174 pounds, the largest living rodent on the planet is difficult to be associated with cuteness. Yet, it has become one of the most beloved animals worldwide, especially in Asia.<\/p>\n<p>A native species to warm South America that inhabit areas near bodies of water, capybaras like soaking in hot springs in winter to prevent their skin from drying or cracking. They are known to be gregarious and rarely engage in fights with their own kind or other species.<\/p>\n<p>On TikTok, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.tiktok.com\/@1minuteanimals\/video\/7255399881425177883?q=capybara&amp;t=1709513975459\">videos of capybaras lounging in onsens with yuzu<\/a> \u2014 hot springs with a citric fruit added to their bath water \u2014 received more than 40 million views. On Xiaohongshu, a Chinese version of Instagram, more than 160,000 tagged posts feature capybaras and related merchandise.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=yGJfpTRL_Sw\">A rap song about capybaras created by Alexey Pluzhnikov<\/a>, a 22-year-old Russian blogger, quickly went viral and now has become the background music of thousands of reels across all kinds of social media platforms.<\/p>\n<p>Kalila Ziva and Denesto Rizky arrived at Cafe Capyba half an hour before it opened, joining others who lined up to secure a limited seat. They managed to snag a time slot four hours later, at 2:30 p.m.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cFor that kind of experience, you can touch the capybara and let them sit next to you, it is worth it,\u201d Rizky said. \u201cYou can\u2019t find it elsewhere in Asia.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Before visiting Cafe Capyba, Ziva and Rizky would often exchange reels of the creatures with each other and their friends. In their home country of Indonesia, capybaras are frequently used in memes and reaction images as &#8220;masbro,&#8221; employed similarly to &#8220;bruh&#8221; or \u201cdude.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cBecause they are very chill animals and can be close to anyone,\u201d Rizky explained.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_103986\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-103986\" style=\"width: 768px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-103986 size-large\" src=\"https:\/\/s3.amazonaws.com\/medill.wordpress.offload\/wp-media-folder-medill-reports-chicago\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2024\/03\/WechatIMG3587-768x1024.jpeg\" alt=\"Kalila Ziva and Denesto Rizky give vegetables to Cafe Capyba\u2019s capybaras\" width=\"768\" height=\"1024\" srcset=\"https:\/\/s3.amazonaws.com\/medill.wordpress.offload\/wp-media-folder-medill-reports-chicago\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2024\/03\/WechatIMG3587-768x1024.jpeg 768w, https:\/\/s3.amazonaws.com\/medill.wordpress.offload\/wp-media-folder-medill-reports-chicago\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2024\/03\/WechatIMG3587-225x300.jpeg 225w, https:\/\/s3.amazonaws.com\/medill.wordpress.offload\/wp-media-folder-medill-reports-chicago\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2024\/03\/WechatIMG3587-1152x1536.jpeg 1152w, https:\/\/s3.amazonaws.com\/medill.wordpress.offload\/wp-media-folder-medill-reports-chicago\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2024\/03\/WechatIMG3587.jpeg 1280w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 768px) 100vw, 768px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-103986\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Kalila Ziva and Denesto Rizky give vegetables to Cafe Capyba\u2019s capybaras, Pinsuke and Kohaku, Feb. 9, 2024. (Photo Courtesy: Kalila Ziva)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>Cafe Capyba opened in April 2023. Customers can pet and sit with two capybaras, Pinsuke and Kohaku, while enjoying coffee, tea or juice.<\/p>\n<p>Pinsuke and Kohaku roam freely in the caf\u00e9, hopping on sofas and sometimes crouching next to people\u2019s legs. They are relaxed and calm most of the time, except when customers get snacks for them. Rizky said one of the capybaras sat on his lap, trying to reach the vegetables in his hand.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThe waiter is very communicative,\u201d Ziva said. \u201cEven if you weren\u2019t buying the vegetables or pellets, the waiter will help to get a capybara closer to you, so you can at least get a photo or pet them.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Many customers were drawn to the caf\u00e9 through social media. Emily Lauber, from Seattle, expressed her fascination with the animal, sparked by the capybara songs and videos of them bathing in onsens.<\/p>\n<p>Lauber had visited a mini-pig caf\u00e9 in Kyoto a few days prior, and this was her first time touching a capybara.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI\u2019m surprised that it\u2019s bigger than I thought,\u201d she said. \u201cThey are not very soft. Feels like a mini-pig.\u201d<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_103985\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-103985\" style=\"width: 800px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-103985 size-large\" src=\"https:\/\/s3.amazonaws.com\/medill.wordpress.offload\/wp-media-folder-medill-reports-chicago\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2024\/03\/WechatIMG3598-1024x683.jpeg\" alt=\"Emily Lauber takes a photo of her friend Brianna Chavez petting a capybara.\" width=\"800\" height=\"534\" srcset=\"https:\/\/s3.amazonaws.com\/medill.wordpress.offload\/wp-media-folder-medill-reports-chicago\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2024\/03\/WechatIMG3598-1024x683.jpeg 1024w, https:\/\/s3.amazonaws.com\/medill.wordpress.offload\/wp-media-folder-medill-reports-chicago\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2024\/03\/WechatIMG3598-300x200.jpeg 300w, https:\/\/s3.amazonaws.com\/medill.wordpress.offload\/wp-media-folder-medill-reports-chicago\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2024\/03\/WechatIMG3598-768x512.jpeg 768w, https:\/\/s3.amazonaws.com\/medill.wordpress.offload\/wp-media-folder-medill-reports-chicago\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2024\/03\/WechatIMG3598-1536x1024.jpeg 1536w, https:\/\/s3.amazonaws.com\/medill.wordpress.offload\/wp-media-folder-medill-reports-chicago\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2024\/03\/WechatIMG3598.jpeg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-103985\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Emily Lauber, left, takes a photo of her friend Brianna Chavez petting a capybara, Feb. 9, 2024. (Grace Xue\/MEDILL)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>From Hong Kong, Kelvin Iu came to Tokyo to attend Taylor Swift\u2019s concert. However, as a capybara enthusiast, he visited the Izu Shaboten Zoo to see them enjoying the onsens. The next day, wearing a white T-shirt with a capybara cartoon, he lined up in front of Cafe Capyba at 10:45 a.m. to secure a slot for petting.<\/p>\n<p>Hours later, when the capybara Kohaku sat next to Iu on the sofa, he petted him with one hand and continuously took selfies with the other.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThis is not a place for me to have coffee but just to see and pet capybaras,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n<p>Iu noted that back in his hometown there is only one capybara in Ocean Park, a theme park, and visitors can only see it from a distance behind fences.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_103984\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-103984\" style=\"width: 800px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-103984 size-large\" src=\"https:\/\/s3.amazonaws.com\/medill.wordpress.offload\/wp-media-folder-medill-reports-chicago\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2024\/03\/WechatIMG3596-1024x683.jpeg\" alt=\"Kelvin Iu sits with a capybara.\" width=\"800\" height=\"534\" srcset=\"https:\/\/s3.amazonaws.com\/medill.wordpress.offload\/wp-media-folder-medill-reports-chicago\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2024\/03\/WechatIMG3596-1024x683.jpeg 1024w, https:\/\/s3.amazonaws.com\/medill.wordpress.offload\/wp-media-folder-medill-reports-chicago\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2024\/03\/WechatIMG3596-300x200.jpeg 300w, https:\/\/s3.amazonaws.com\/medill.wordpress.offload\/wp-media-folder-medill-reports-chicago\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2024\/03\/WechatIMG3596-768x512.jpeg 768w, https:\/\/s3.amazonaws.com\/medill.wordpress.offload\/wp-media-folder-medill-reports-chicago\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2024\/03\/WechatIMG3596-1536x1024.jpeg 1536w, https:\/\/s3.amazonaws.com\/medill.wordpress.offload\/wp-media-folder-medill-reports-chicago\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2024\/03\/WechatIMG3596.jpeg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-103984\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Kelvin Iu, right, sits with a capybara, Feb. 9, 2024. (Grace Xue\/MEDILL)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>Cafe Capyba isn\u2019t the first or only capybara caf\u00e9 in Japan. In 2018, Capybara Land PUIPUI opened in Yokohama. Two years later, Capy Neko Cafe, the first-ever capybara and cat caf\u00e9, opened in Kichijoji, Tokyo. Inspired by cat and dog caf\u00e9s, more animal lovers and zookeepers have begun applying the petting zoo\/caf\u00e9 concept to introduce less well-known animals to the public.<\/p>\n<p>Izu Shaboten Zoo is one of the pioneers of this initiative, striving to bring animal-interaction experiences into cities. Its petting zoo, Ani Touch, opened at Aqua City shopping mall in Tokyo in July. Its residents now include capybaras, ring-tailed lemurs, sloths, panda mice, brown wood owls, hedgehogs, chicks, and more.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_103994\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-103994\" style=\"width: 800px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-103994 size-large\" src=\"https:\/\/s3.amazonaws.com\/medill.wordpress.offload\/wp-media-folder-medill-reports-chicago\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2024\/03\/042A1621-1024x683.jpg\" alt=\"Jyun Yamada and Sayuri Yamada feed snacks to capybaras at Ani Touch\" width=\"800\" height=\"534\" srcset=\"https:\/\/s3.amazonaws.com\/medill.wordpress.offload\/wp-media-folder-medill-reports-chicago\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2024\/03\/042A1621-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/s3.amazonaws.com\/medill.wordpress.offload\/wp-media-folder-medill-reports-chicago\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2024\/03\/042A1621-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/s3.amazonaws.com\/medill.wordpress.offload\/wp-media-folder-medill-reports-chicago\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2024\/03\/042A1621-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/s3.amazonaws.com\/medill.wordpress.offload\/wp-media-folder-medill-reports-chicago\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2024\/03\/042A1621-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/s3.amazonaws.com\/medill.wordpress.offload\/wp-media-folder-medill-reports-chicago\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2024\/03\/042A1621-2048x1365.jpg 2048w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-103994\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Jyun Yamada, left, and Sayuri Yamada feed snacks to capybaras at Ani Touch, Feb. 9, 2024. (Grace Xue\/MEDILL)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>Yu Takiguchi has been working at the zoo for 10 years and manages the new Ani Touch.<\/p>\n<p>As a keeper and manager, she monitors the conditions of different kinds of animals every day. Her routine includes meal preparation, feeding, room cleaning, and ensuring the animals\u2019 mental health with toys and games. She carefully watches for signs of diarrhea or soft stools, as it is the most common problem that can occur to them.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI wanted to become a zookeeper since I was a child,\u201d Takiguchi said. \u201cI think it is a very rewarding job, but the responsibility is very heavy. Animals could die if you can\u2019t stand up to it. Many people quit because their motivation is low, but I\u2019m still here because I love animals.\u201d<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_103987\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-103987\" style=\"width: 800px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-103987 size-large\" src=\"https:\/\/s3.amazonaws.com\/medill.wordpress.offload\/wp-media-folder-medill-reports-chicago\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2024\/03\/WechatIMG3588-1024x767.jpeg\" alt=\"Yu Takiguchi with a ring-tailed lemur at Ani Touch.\" width=\"800\" height=\"599\" srcset=\"https:\/\/s3.amazonaws.com\/medill.wordpress.offload\/wp-media-folder-medill-reports-chicago\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2024\/03\/WechatIMG3588-1024x767.jpeg 1024w, https:\/\/s3.amazonaws.com\/medill.wordpress.offload\/wp-media-folder-medill-reports-chicago\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2024\/03\/WechatIMG3588-300x225.jpeg 300w, https:\/\/s3.amazonaws.com\/medill.wordpress.offload\/wp-media-folder-medill-reports-chicago\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2024\/03\/WechatIMG3588-768x575.jpeg 768w, https:\/\/s3.amazonaws.com\/medill.wordpress.offload\/wp-media-folder-medill-reports-chicago\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2024\/03\/WechatIMG3588-1536x1151.jpeg 1536w, https:\/\/s3.amazonaws.com\/medill.wordpress.offload\/wp-media-folder-medill-reports-chicago\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2024\/03\/WechatIMG3588.jpeg 1706w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-103987\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Yu Takiguchi with a ring-tailed lemur at Ani Touch, Feb. 9, 2024. (Grace Xue\/MEDILL)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>Summer proves to be the peak season for Ani Touch, as more families flock there during vacations. Among the myriad creatures, capybaras and chicks reign as the stars of the petting zoo, cherished for their affable nature and velvety touch.<\/p>\n<p>Caring for animals can be expensive. Takiguchi said electricity and water bills are high due to the incubators for chicks and other young animals and the capybaras&#8217; warm bathtubs.<\/p>\n<p>Despite these financial hurdles, Takiguchi remains optimistic about the long-term viability of the business, buoyed by its surging popularity. With four other locations throughout Japan, the managers at each outpost stave off monotony by shuffling the lineup of animals and organizing diverse events tailored to the seasons and holidays.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;People who are passionate about animals are willing to travel to zoos situated in the suburbs, but those with a more casual interest might find themselves drawn to petting zoos nestled within shopping malls,&#8221; Takiguchi said. &#8220;My aim is to cultivate a deeper understanding of animals among visitors and impart the importance of respectful interaction with them.&#8221;<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_103983\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-103983\" style=\"width: 800px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-103983 size-large\" src=\"https:\/\/s3.amazonaws.com\/medill.wordpress.offload\/wp-media-folder-medill-reports-chicago\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2024\/03\/WechatIMG3595-1024x683.jpeg\" alt=\"Jyun Yamada and Sayuri Yamada touch chicks at Ani Touch\" width=\"800\" height=\"534\" srcset=\"https:\/\/s3.amazonaws.com\/medill.wordpress.offload\/wp-media-folder-medill-reports-chicago\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2024\/03\/WechatIMG3595-1024x683.jpeg 1024w, https:\/\/s3.amazonaws.com\/medill.wordpress.offload\/wp-media-folder-medill-reports-chicago\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2024\/03\/WechatIMG3595-300x200.jpeg 300w, https:\/\/s3.amazonaws.com\/medill.wordpress.offload\/wp-media-folder-medill-reports-chicago\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2024\/03\/WechatIMG3595-768x512.jpeg 768w, https:\/\/s3.amazonaws.com\/medill.wordpress.offload\/wp-media-folder-medill-reports-chicago\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2024\/03\/WechatIMG3595-1536x1024.jpeg 1536w, https:\/\/s3.amazonaws.com\/medill.wordpress.offload\/wp-media-folder-medill-reports-chicago\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2024\/03\/WechatIMG3595.jpeg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-103983\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Jyun Yamada and Sayuri Yamada touch chicks at Ani Touch, Feb. 9, 2024. (Grace Xue\/MEDILL)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p><em>Grace Xue is a magazine graduate student at Medill. You can follow her on Instagram at @ziyue_see or connect with her on <a href=\"http:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/in\/ziyue-x-360b13151\">LinkedIn<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>By Grace Xue Medill Reports TOKYO &#8211; In Tokyo&#8217;s Sumida district, a quiet residential neighborhood, there&#8217;s always a bustling line forming in a little alley before 11 a.m., opening time for Cafe Capyba. Customers wait patiently to spend 1,250 yen ($8.53) for 30 minutes with capybaras. Growing to about 4.3 feet long and weighing up [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":955,"featured_media":103988,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[194,5061,5399,5407],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-103979","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-arts-culture","category-featured","category-medill-explores-2024","category-tokyo-2024"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v27.6 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>In Tokyo, coffee meets cuteness in the company of capybaras - Medill Reports Chicago<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/news.medill.northwestern.edu\/chicago\/in-tokyo-coffee-meets-cuteness-in-the-company-of-capybaras\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"In Tokyo, coffee meets cuteness in the company of capybaras - Medill Reports Chicago\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"By Grace Xue Medill Reports TOKYO &#8211; In Tokyo&#8217;s Sumida district, a quiet residential neighborhood, there&#8217;s always a bustling line forming in a little alley before 11 a.m., opening time for Cafe Capyba. Customers wait patiently to spend 1,250 yen ($8.53) for 30 minutes with capybaras. 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