Japan Travel’s Animal Welfare Stance

Last updated: April 12th 2024

At Japan Travel, we wholly believe that animal-related attractions and tourist destinations have a responsibility to treat their animals humanely.

In Japan, and across the globe, there are a number of tourist attractions that feature wild and domestic animals, as well as animals in captivity. Through our online portal, we aim to provide factual descriptions of destinations’ offerings and intent in tandem with a public rating system that reflects people’s real-life experiences. It is also important to note that, given our community-based platform, we also display content that may not align with Japan Travel’s values.

Thus, we implore readers to use Japan Travel as a means to search for, become acquainted with, and learn about Japan’s diverse destinations. Then, we recommend that readers research establishments further to confirm that the facilities align with their values and uphold high standards of animal welfare.

Japan Travel supports a high quality of life for all animals in tourism-related situations. As a basis for due diligence, please review the following.

Animals in captivity

Animal captivity is the permanent or temporary confinement of domestic, wild, or wild captivity-born animals.

When attractions promote physical interactions between humans and wild animals in captivity, we recommend confirming that the offerings are purely for educational purposes and are under the careful supervision of a knowledgeable official. It is also important to ensure that animals can act of their own accord and are not drugged or intimidated to comply with the activities.

Shows and performances

Japan Travel does not support any shows or experiences where captive wild animals are forced to perform tricks or unnatural behaviors in front of an audience. This point extends to cetaceans (whales, dolphins, and porpoises) that are placed on public display and/or forced to perform for or interact with guests. For cetaceans’ well-being, it is imperative that their enclosures are located in natural bodies of water that best mimic their native environments.

Animal cafes

Animal cafes are a renowned part of Japan’s cafe culture. Unfortunately, these facilities can be significantly detrimental to animals’ physical and mental well-being. Therefore, it is important to thoroughly research these businesses beforehand to ensure that they are properly caring for their animals and minimizing stress. Generally, it is best to avoid cafes with undomesticated animals, as they can rarely lead fulfilled lives in cafe settings with constant stimulation. For dog and cat cafes, we recommend researching options that offer refuge for rescue animals and/or promote adoption.

Wildlife watching

Japan has multiple destinations where people can closely observe and sometimes interact with wild animals outside of controlled facilities. Some examples include deer in Nara, snow monkeys in Nagano, Rabbit Island (Okunoshima), and so on. As a visitor, it is the guest’s responsibility to act in a way that does not aggravate or demean the animals.