# Bunny-Petting Cafes Grab a Coffee and Pet a Rabbit at Japan's Usagi-to-Cafe By Katherinev123 | Published 2009-08-31 | Business Source: Trend Hunter, https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/bunny-petting-coffee-shops-japans-usagi-to-cafe References: [inventorspot](http://inventorspot.com/articles/bunny_petting_cafe_has_rabbit_fans_hopping_32069) & [english.ntdtv](http://english.ntdtv.com/ntdtv_en/ns_asia/2009-08-29/932933954632.html) The owners of Japan’s Usagi-to-Cafe (“The [Rabbit and Cafe](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/tim-hortons-spring-menu)”) know there’s nothing like starting and ending a day with a good round of rabbit caressing. When patrons visit for a coffee or light snack, they also get the opportunity to pet one of the shop’s 18 “staff bunnies.” At almost a dollar a minute, the cafe’s bunny-petting isn’t cheap, but the animal-loving patrons don’t mind. As pets are banned in many Japanese apartments, the Usagi-to-Cafe – much like the Cat Cafe Calico covered by Trend Hunter back in April – meets a basic, primal need: playing, cuddling, and caressing a furry creature. This is probably why the shop is packed on weekends. The Usagi-to-Cafe also offers a BYOB policy, in which [rabbit-owners can bring their own pets](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/the-bunny-bowl) for bunny socialization. This presumably lets house bunnies mix and mingle with other bunnies and learn the necessary social skills they need to survive in the real world. ## Trend Insights (Trend Hunter) - Score: 5.9/10 - Popularity: 71% | Activity: 97% | Freshness: 8% - Audience gender: 50% men, 50% women - Primary generations: Millennial, Gen X - Top markets: North America, Europe, Asia ## Categories [Trend Hunter](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends) > [Business](https://www.trendhunter.com/business) > [New Ventures](https://www.trendhunter.com/newventures) ## Key Themes ### Key Themes Behind This Trend - **Pet-friendly Cafes:** Disruptive innovation opportunity: Create pet-friendly cafes that allow customers to interact with animals while enjoying food and drinks. - **Micro-experience Economy:** Disruptive innovation opportunity: Develop cafes that offer unique and niche experiences, catering to specific interests like petting animals. - **Socialization Spaces:** Disruptive innovation opportunity: Design spaces where people can bring their pets for socialization, creating a sense of community and shared experiences. ### Where This Applies - **Hospitality:** Disruptive innovation opportunity: Incorporate animal interactions into hospitality establishments like hotels or resorts to enhance guest experiences. - **Entertainment:** Disruptive innovation opportunity: Create entertainment venues that combine food and beverage services with animal interaction, providing unique and memorable experiences for visitors. - **Pet Care:** Disruptive innovation opportunity: Develop specialized pet care facilities that focus on socialization and interaction between animals, catering to pet owners' needs. ## Related on Trend Hunter - [Dog-Friendly Cafe Experiences](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/snow-pawttage.md) - [Cartoon Cat-Inspired Cafes](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/universal.md) - [Rabbit-Themed Cafe Menus](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/tim-hortons-spring-menu.md) - [Cat Cafe Beds](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/cat-cafe-beds.md) - [Pet-Friendly Seamless Furniture](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/bink-rabbit-goods.md) - [Swirled Bunny Face Cakes](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/bunny-face-chocolate-cake.md) - [Bunny-Inspired Lifestyle Accessories](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/starbucks-6.md) - [Petting Booth Pop-Ups](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/petting-booth.md) - [Adorable Cat-Themed Menus](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/mofusand.md)