Christina K.
Yelp
Holy cow...or HOLY PIG if you will, this place is a DREAM. I was looking over yelp while my friends and I were walking around, and came across this spot. After walking around Harajuku for a few hours, my friends ended up going back to the hotel after lunch, but I had already made up my mind to go pet some mini pigs. I went on the website, and found that the earliest booking was for a private room three hours later! I ended up booking it just so I had a spot, and after walking around a few more hours, I arrived right on the dot for my 5 PM reservation. They do ask you to come 10 minutes before, and I would also recommend this as you lose some time with checking in and packing your items into the provided cubbies. When you enter, they have you take your shoes off, store your belongings, and wash your hands. Then you are shown the beverage station, which is an automated fountain drink dispenser. I know other Yelpers weren't that impressed, but honestly, I was totally fine with it. I had some water, then a glass of "orange juice" and ginger ale. My "private room" ended up being a pen on the side of the larger, common room, where literally 30+ piggies were inhabiting. Some were small, like puppy sized; the other more mature ones were probably like large corgies.
I was shown to my room and a staff member also instructed me on how I could pick up the pigs, which is what set my private room experience apart. Honestly, I didn't care too much for picking up the pigs and it seemed neither did they. No matter, once the blanket was on my lap, they basically just curled up there and I sat with them like that for the next twenty minutes. UM. HEAVEN!!!! They are so cuddly and sweet. The two did get a little mad at each other - I want to say they were fighting for space, but they were well behaved and one even hopped off of me, went to the potty pan in the corner to pee, and then came back. I was dumbfounded, but obviously these animals are trained and have had lots of human interaction and instruction time, to all of our benefit.
They do squeal a lot, and do some weird chomping thing (to the point where there was saliva foam I had to wipe away), but what a super cool experience. Another staffer came to inform me when I had 5 minutes left, then asked if I wanted more time. I declined to be able to get back for dinner, but I might have stayed longer if I didn't need to. I just wanted to hang out with the babies. Even though the experience is 30 minutes, because I didn't arrive BEFORE my appointment, and because they start getting you out a few minutes early, I think this was actually just a little over 20 minutes of cuddle time.
At about $19 USD for that though, I honestly would do it again.