"Hand of the Cat" is one of the most casual cat cafes we've been to - when we asked how many animals were in residence, we were told the number was around fifteen or twenty, as if it was just impossible to keep an accurate count. And indeed during the hour we were there, cats we had never seen before would occasionally slip in from other, hidden rooms, stake out a comfortable spot and proceed to take a nap. It's that kind of place.

Occupying a very lived-in former residential apartment, the public part of the cafe contains two connected playrooms and a small entrance area where arriving visitors wash their hands and exchange their shoes for cat slippers. You can pay as little as Y600 (for thirty minutes), but it's worth it to upgrade to the Y1400 Harem Set - it gets you one hour of cat time, plus an iced cafe latte or other drink, and a decent-sized plate of cat snacks.

See more photos and details at Animal Cafes.com.