
Tokyo: Private tour of Beckoning Cat Painting at Yanaka
Pick your date
Highlighted days have spots open. Grey days are sold out or not running.
September 2026
Loading live availability
Who is going?
Adults
Age 13 and over
Children
Age 12 and under
Select a highlighted day to see live departure times and the exact price for your group.
Free cancellation up to 24 hours before. Same price on Viator, Outty earns a commission.
Traveler rating
Not yet rated
No traveler reviews have been published for this experience yet.
Quick answer
Is Tokyo: Private tour of Beckoning Cat Painting at Yanaka worth booking?
Tokyo: Private tour of Beckoning Cat Painting at Yanaka is a 2-hour experience in Tokyo, Japan, from $18700 per person. It scores 48 out of 100 on the Outty Ranking, which we label “Worth a Look”. Cancellation is free up to 24 hours before the start time. Same-day spots are currently showing.
- Outty Ranking
- 48 / 100
- Rating
- Not yet rated
- Duration
- 2 hours
- From
- $18700 per person
This private tour offers a cultural experience in Yanaka, a popular strolling area for Japanese people. Yanaka is also known as “Cat Town". It is also full of alleys, slopes, and temples, where cats can be seen relaxing
What you get
- Finger Puppet Show
- An English-speaking guide
- Manekineko (beckoning cats) painting experience
About this experience
This private tour offers a cultural experience in Yanaka, a popular strolling area for Japanese people. Yanaka is also known as “Cat Town". It is also full of alleys, slopes, and temples, where cats can be seen relaxing in the emotional streets. In addition to the experience of painting “Manekineko (beckoning cats),” cute ornaments that have been placed in stores as merchants' items since the Edo period, you will watch a finger puppet show. You can design your own beckoning cat and take it home as a mascot that will continue to bring you good fortune even after the tour is over. The finger puppets will be played in a theater dedicated to finger puppets. You can enjoy a short play that makes you laugh without words. Recommended for those who want to experience Japanese culture with a difference!
What's included
Included
- Finger Puppet Show
- An English-speaking guide
- Manekineko (beckoning cats) painting experience
Not included
- Gratuities
- Shopping cost (it depends on the guest and store)
What you'll see and do
Yanaka Cemetery
Established in 1874, the Yanaka Cemetery is a historic cemetery with many graves of famous Japanese cultural and historical figures. The cemetery is lush and quiet, and is a precious place where visitors can feel nature even though they are in the heart of the city. There are also many cats in the vicinity, and they too provide a bit of comfort to visitors.
20 minutes here
This café, housed in a renovated 90-year-old traditional Japanese house, allows visitors to paint their own "Manekineko" (beckoning cat) . You can enjoy making your own beckoning cat while drinking tea. It is up to you what kind of painting you want to do! If you are not sure how to do it, you can experience it easily and conveniently by referring to the many beckoning cats in the store. Our guide will be on hand to assist you.
50 minutes here · Admission included
Hand Puppets Shokichi
This is a finger puppet theater that is virtually nonexistent in Tokyo. Here, short comedies are shown for 30 minutes. There are almost no words, and the “movements” of the finger puppets naturally convey the audience's feelings, making the work funny.
40 minutes here · Admission included
Finally, we will go to a store that sells a popular Japanese snack called sembei. Made from carefully selected rice, each rice cracker is carefully baked using traditional methods. Popular products include soy sauce-flavored rice crackers and sweet rice crackers dusted with white sugar, offering a wide variety of flavors and ingredients. The store also offers a selection of gift crackers and seasonal products, which are popular as souvenirs and gifts.
10 minutes here
Where it starts and ends
Meeting point
Tokyo
The meeting point is in front of the South exit ticket gate of JR Nippori Station.
Hotel pickup
No pickup: everyone meets at the start point.
Ends at
Returns to the starting point
Before you book
- Cancellation
- For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
- Languages
- en
- Ticket
- Mobile Only
- Runs on
- Wed, Thu, Fri, Sat, Sun
- Group size
- Up to 3 travelers per booking
- Operated by
- gotcha
Know before you go
- Public transportation options are available nearby
- Suitable for all physical fitness levels
Photos






Good to know
- Duration
- 2 hours
- Free cancellation
- Up to 24h before
- Minimum age to book
- 4+
- Availability
- Bookable today
- Runs on
- Wed, Thu, Fri, Sat, Sun
- Hotel pickup
- No pickup, meet at start point
- Booked in 30 days
- 0
- Verdict
- Worth a Look
Why this scores 48
The Outty Ranking is a weighted composite. Here is how this experience performed on each component.
Tokyo: Private tour of Beckoning Cat Painting at Yanaka: questions travelers ask
Practical detail on this experience, plus the wider planning questions for Tokyo.
How much does Tokyo: Private tour of Beckoning Cat Painting at Yanaka cost?
+
Prices start at $18700 per person. The final price depends on the date, the time slot and the number of travelers, and peak weekends in Tokyo usually price higher than midweek mornings. Live pricing and remaining availability are confirmed on the booking screen before you pay.
How long does Tokyo: Private tour of Beckoning Cat Painting at Yanaka take?
+
Plan for about 2 hours from start to finish, not counting travel to the meeting point. Most travelers leave another 30 minutes on either side so the rest of the day in Tokyo is not rushed.
Is Tokyo: Private tour of Beckoning Cat Painting at Yanaka worth it?
+
It holds an Outty Ranking of 48 out of 100, which we label "Worth a Look". That score blends traveler sentiment (0/5 across 0 reviews), the depth of that review evidence, recent booking momentum, value for money against comparable last minute in Tokyo, and how flexible the cancellation terms are.
Can I cancel or reschedule Tokyo: Private tour of Beckoning Cat Painting at Yanaka?
+
Yes. Cancel free up to 24 hours before the start time for a full refund. Inside that window the booking is non-refundable, and no-shows are not refunded.
Is Tokyo: Private tour of Beckoning Cat Painting at Yanaka suitable for kids and families?
+
The operator sets a minimum age of 4. Older children generally do well here, and families should factor in the 2-hour running time when deciding.
How far in advance should I book Tokyo: Private tour of Beckoning Cat Painting at Yanaka?
+
Around 0 people booked this in the last 30 days, so popular slots go early. Two to three weeks ahead is comfortable in shoulder season, while summer weekends and holidays in Tokyo can sell out a month out. Same-day spots do open up when other travelers cancel, so it is worth checking if you are already in town.
What should I bring or wear?
+
Bring photo ID, your booking confirmation on your phone, a refillable water bottle and comfortable shoes. Dress for the weather in Tokyo and add a light layer if any part of the 2-hour experience runs outdoors or after sunset.
Where does Tokyo: Private tour of Beckoning Cat Painting at Yanaka start and how do I get there?
+
The exact meeting point and directions are on your voucher once you book, and they sit in central Tokyo within reach of public transport. Arrive 15 minutes early: late arrivals are treated as no-shows by most operators.
What are the best things to do in Tokyo?
+
Tokyo is less a city than a stack of neighborhoods with completely different opening hours. A guided food crawl through Shinjuku's Omoide Yokocho gets you past the no-tourist curtains, while the day trips west to Hakone and Fuji need an early start to be worth the fare. Our ranking weighs guide quality heavily here, because in Tokyo the guide is the product. On Outty we rank every Tokyo experience on the same 0 to 100 scale, and alongside this one the highest scorers right now include Tokyo Shinjuku Chopsticks Making Class, Tokyo : Asakusa Chopsticks Making Class, Shinjuku Night Food and Bar Crawl. The city page groups everything into most popular, highest reviewed, last minute and family-friendly so you can build a day around what actually delivers.
When is the best time to visit Tokyo?
+
Late March to May for blossom, October to November for clear Fuji views. Booking patterns follow the same curve: prices and queues climb in peak weeks, while shoulder season gives you better availability on the top-ranked experiences and more room to change plans.
How many days do you need in Tokyo?
+
Three full days covers the headline sights without sprinting. A workable rhythm is one anchor experience each morning, such as this one, an unhurried afternoon in a single neighborhood, then a food or nightlife booking in the evening. Five days lets you add a day trip outside the city.
Do I book through Outty or through the operator?
+
Outty ranks and explains the experiences, then hands you to Viator to complete the booking with the operator directly. The price is the same as booking on Viator yourself, and Outty earns an affiliate commission on the referral, which is how the rankings stay free to read.
Ready to lock in your spot?
Pick a date, choose your group, and see the exact price for Tokyo: Private tour of Beckoning Cat Painting at Yanaka.
Pick your date





