On the internet there is a lot of hype about Japan’s animal culture. There are cafes where you can drink green tea with owls, puppies or lizards, islands inhabited only by cats or foxes and much more in between. We can now confirm that this is all just as wonderful as it sounds! We have been chased by bushels of bunnies on the hunt for carrots, ignored by hundreds of tropical fish swimming inches away from us and bleated at by a surprisingly large number of goats. There have been bear warnings, potential crane sightings (though probably just lots of herons) and some running away from snakes.
The loveliest thing about animals here is how they treat and are treated by humans (fish aside of course, no point in being nice to something so delicious). From elderly people swarmed by sparrows in the park, to tourists surrounded by snow monkeys in the mountains, it’s clear how relaxed both animals and people are around each other.
