Tokyo’s most kawaii coffee shop, Anumaka Bear Hole cafe is a must visit when exploring Harajuku and it’s weird and wonderful activities.
A paw-some Tokyo coffee shop with bright green interiors and super cute stylings, Anakuma is a bear’s lair and coffee shop rolled into one, where your only interaction is with a mysterious bear paw.
This post may contain affiliate links to tours and hotels. These help us earn a small commission at no additional charge to you.
‘Anakuma’ translates as ‘Bear Hole Cafe’ and after ordering your coffee on a tablet, the bear paw will interact with you, asking fun questions on boards, giving away sweets plus even a gachapon capsule gift.
Popular on social media, here is our guide to buying a coffee at Anakuma bear paw / hole cafe in Harajuku, Tokyo and photos.
You might like – Our guide to Tokyo’s Takeshita Street, just 5 minutes walk from Anakuma Cafe >
Japan checklist
We love using booking.com and agoda.com (use the Agoda code TAIWANDERERS for a discount) for researching and booking all our hotels. You can also purchase eSIMs from Airalo.
For booking tours, transfers and SIM cards we recommend Get Your Guide, Viator or Klook.
For booking rental cars visit Discover Cars.
Check out our Japan travel resources page >
What is Anakuma Bear Hole Cafe?
Anakuma Cafe is one of the more unique cafes in Tokyo, located in the hipster Harajuku neighborhood.
Hidden away in an unassuming street, it is easy to spot Anakuma, as a bear paw will likely beckon you in from behind a concealed serving hatch (plus the whole coffee shop is a bright green interior).
Anakuma Bear Hole Cafe opened in Harajuku in 2021 and appears to have followed the model of a similar bear cafe in Osaka which employs individuals with mental health challenges – although Anakuma’s focus (other than bear antics) is more on sustainability and deforestation.
The cafe is styled like a forest (hence the green interior) and the Anakuma narrative is that the chief bear at the cafe escaped from the forest and now wants to promote the environment through the coffee shop – well, it’s a clever marketing piece either way.
You might like – 30+ weird and wonderful things to in Tokyo including the underground ninja bar
Join our Facebook Japan Travel Tips Group!
Need help with your Japan itinerary or have any questions?
Head on over to our friendly Facebook group with 130,000+ members and ask the experts!
Click here to join our group >
We also run a brand new Japan Hauls, Souvenirs and Shopping Tips group >
Or if you just want to see more of our Japan photos and videos, follow our Plan My Japan Facebook page >
Tokyo’s only Bear Paw Cafe
Anakuma is a fun way to enjoy a hot coffee, tea or various Instagrammable soft drinks and desserts.
Use the tablet inside the cafe, order your drink (cash and card is accepted) then give your receipt to the beckoning bear paw behind the hole in the wall curtain.
Incidentally, you can also buy your Anakuma cafe drink coupon in advance via Klook >
This would make a great gift for a bear loving buddy or cute coffee lover.
Most drink prices at Anakuma bear hole cafe in Harajuku cost around 1,200 to 1,300 Yen.
We had a hot maple latte coffee for 1,300 Yen and a standard latte cost 1,200 Yen. The cheapest drink was a hot milk for 1,000 Yen. You can also pay extra to make substitutes like oat and soy milk. All Anakuma prices are correct as of our visit in December 2024.
You can also purchase merchandise such as t-shirts and coffee beans.
Once you’ve ordered your drink, this is when the fun really begins…
Try this – The best Harajuku Tokyo tours with Get Your Guide >
You might like these Tokyo neighbourhood guides:
Akihabara
Asakusa
Ginza
Harajuku
Ikebukuro
Nakano
Odaiba
Ryogoku
Shibuya
Shimokitazawa
Shinjuku
Also check out our
Where to stay in Tokyo guide
Harajuku Bear Cafe highlights
Whilst the bear (or one of its hidden helpers) is making your drink, the bear paw will interact with you in a number of ways.
The bear will shake your hand upon arrival and once you’ve placed your order, your first treat / surprise is a gachapon capsule token – the bear paw beckons you to use the machine below the counter and there are several different prizes to be won including stickers and sweets.
We won an Anakuma chocolate, which has a unique wrapper with a bear on it (but is actually just the standard Milk Black Thunder choc inside).
The bear paw also reappeared again to give us some sweets – the best bit was when the bear paw placed signs through the hole in the wall curtain to ask us where we were from, did we love Japan (of course we do!) and where we had been in Japan so far.
Try this – Top Tokyo food and drink tours >
Anakuma Bear Hole Cafe – the ‘Bear’ essentials
When your drink order is ready, the bear paw appears through the curtain again to ring a bell to announce your drink order is ready.
The bear paw has a thumbs up as you take your drink and all’s right with the world!
Anakuma Bear Paw Cafe in Harajuku is very small inside and there is one table outside plus a small bench. We were lucky enough to get the bench so we enjoy watching all the other bear paw interactions with other visitors as we sipped our hot maple latte.
Another fun feature is you can write a letter to the bears inside the cafe and then post in a small red letterbox outside the store – they promise to reply to every letter they receive. We hope we get a response to our message.
Overall, whilst the drink prices are a little on the expensive side at Harajuku Anakuma bear cafe, it is a unique and fun experience – we couldn’t ‘bear’ it if you came to Harajuku without visiting this kawaii cafe.
You might like – Our guide to Don Quijote, Japan’s most joyful discount stores or top 20 things to buy in Daiso
Our Instagram video
Anakuma address and opening hours
Harajuku’s bear cafe is open from 11am to 9pm on weekdays, and from 10am to 9pm on Saturday and Sunday.
Address: ANAKUMA CAFE Harajuku, 1 Chome-23-28 Jingumae, Shibuya, Tokyo 150 – 0001 (map).
You might like – our guide to Tokyo Character Street at Tokyo Station >
Found this Bear Paw Hole in Wall Cafe article helpful?
Did you enjoy our Tokyo Bear Paw Hole in Wall Cafe in Harajuku blog post? Let us know in the comments or by sharing it on social media.
You can follow us on:
Instagram
Tik Tok
Facebook
Pinterest
YouTube
Join our Japan Travel Tips Facebook group >