Rilakkuma Café in Japan – Visit Arashiyama Rilakkuma Tea House!

Kawaii fans, did you know that there is a Rilakkuma Café in Japan?

It’s called the Arashiyama Rilakkuma Tea House and sells themed drinks, meals and sweet treats shaped like the adorable lazy bear and his friends.

My friend and I visited on our day trip to Arashiyama from Kyoto and had a magical time visiting the tea house, shop and honey stand. 

As huge fans of Rilakkuma, this was our dream come true, and I must share this whimsical experience with you. 

Here is a complete guide to visiting the Rilakkuma Café in Japan, including whether it’s worth it.

What is the Rilakkuma Café in Japan?

If you have not heard of Rilakkuma, he’s a kawaii icon and lazy brown bear in Japan created by the company San-X.

‘Rilakku‘ means ‘relax’, and ‘kuma’ means ‘bear‘. His laid-back nature has been capturing the hearts of millions for over 20 years since his debut.

He can usually be seen with a group of friends: 

1. Korilakkuma (little white bear cub)
2. Kiiroitori (yellow bird)
3. Chairoikoguma (little brown bear)

Rila is easily one of the most famous kawaii characters in Japan, and so there are some themed cafés where you can join him for dinner. 

Where is the Rilakkuma Café in Japan?

There are currently two Rilakkuma Cafés in Japan:

1. Arashiyama Rilakkuma Tea House near Kyoto
2. Miyajima Rilakkuma Sabo (closes on 19th February 2026)

As we were staying in Kyoto, we visited the Arashiyama branch as part of our day trip. 

As huge fans of Rilakkuma, we were beyond excited for this experience. 

Do you need a reservation?

Currently, you cannot make a reservation for the Arashiyama Rilakkuma Tea House.

You have to visit the shop and head upstairs to get a ticket to join their virtual queue. 

Arashiyama is one of the busiest places I visited in Japan, and tables go like hotcakes, especially on weekends.

For this reason, I recommend getting here when their shop opens at 10 am or later that morning. The café is open from 10.30 am. 

If you leave it too late, you may be waiting a long time or not be able to sit down at all! You don’t want to miss out. 

How to visit Arashiyama Rilakkuma Tea House

Rilakkuma Sabo can be found on the main shopping street in Arashiyama, a popular day trip from Kyoto.

From Kyoto Station, it will take you around 20 minutes to reach Arashiyama by train, or you can take the Keifuku Randen Tram.

The Rilakkuma Café is just a three-minute walk from Arashiyama Tram Station and a 10-minute walk from the JR Saga-Arashiyama Train Station.

It’s also on the same street as the Miffy Bakery, which is another magical place you should visit.

Entering the virtual queue 

We were second in the queue when the Rilakkuma shop opened at 10 am and went straight upstairs to get our café tickets.

You enter your details on a touch screen machine and will receive a printed receipt with a QR code on it. 

If you scan this code, you’ll be taken to a website where you can see your position in the virtual queue. 

When the café opens, the friendly hosts will start calling out these ticket numbers.

You must be by the café or in the shop when they call your number. It’s important because if you’re not, your reservation may be cancelled. 

While we were waiting, we loved hugging these giant Rilakkuma plushies! They were so adorable, and I wished I could have taken one home. 

Inside Rilakkuma Café 

When you step inside Rilakkuma’s Tea House, it’s not as kawaii as you might expect. But it’s inspired by traditional “sabos” in Kyoto Prefecture.  

It’s very light and airy with wooden beams on white walls that had some demure Rilakkuma artwork.

I loved the fact that each table had a tray of Rilakkuma plushies to join you for your meal, even Kiiroitori.

There’s a lovely view of Sanshu-in Temple from their window, which was wonderful in the momiji season.

Also, look out for the window stickers of Rilakkuma and friends in the onsen. 

What’s on the Rilakkuma Café menu?

The best part about visiting the Rilakkuma Café is that it has a whimsical menu of dishes.

You’ll find curries, omelettes, sushi plates and rice noodles all shaped like Rilakkuma and his friends. 

There is an entire menu of teddy bear treats, like a Korilakkuma Parfait, Rilakkuma Matcha Mont Blanc and Kiiroitori’s Yuzu Honey Anmitsu.

There are also some exclusive Arashiyama sweets like Rilakkuma and the Bamboo Forest, a matcha parfait. Very on theme.

Rilakkuma Curry & Korilakkuma Omlette

Although it was quite early in the morning, my friend and I decided to get main meals to fill up for a day of exploring. 

I ordered the Rilakkuma Curry, which is beef with a rich sauce and vegetables. 

I loved how they made Rilakkuma out of the rice, and even the carrots were bear-shaped. 

My friend ordered the Korilakkuma’s Relaxing Omelette, where they are taking a nap on fluffy eggs in tomato sauce. 

Both dishes were utterly adorable and came served on a special tray with a bowl of miso soup, a cute coaster and chopsticks. 

Rilakkuma drinks

As well as Rilakkuma dishes, you can order some themed drinks.

I ordered a Soda Float Drink that was strawberry-flavoured and had a Korilakkuma marshmallow on top.

It was honestly adorable and the perfect companion for my kawaii curry. 

What’s the food like?

I visited a lot of themed cafés in Japan, and most have meals that leave much to be desired in terms of quality and flavour.

Let’s be real, we’re not eating in a themed café for gourmet food, we’re here for the aesthetics.

But the Rilakkuma Café was different and a massive step above the rest. The food was not only cute but flavourful, nourishing and delicious. 

Looking back, my Rilakkuma Curry was one of my favourite meals I had in Japan. I would go back for this teddy bear treat in a heartbeat.

Is Arashiyama Rilakkuma Tea House worth visiting? 

Yes, if you love Rilakkuma or anything kawaii, then you must visit the Rilakkuma Café.

Although you can’t make a reservation in advance, it’s worth waiting for a table as the experience is utterly enchanting. 

As huge fans of the lazy bear, we were in our element here and had the most magical time.

Don’t skip Arashiyama Rilakkuma Tea House, it’s the paw-fect place to visit. 

Visit the Rilakkuma Shop

Even if you don’t visit the café, it’s still worth stopping by to check out the Rilakkuma Honey Shop. 

This adorable store is packed full of exclusive Rilakkuma merchandise that you can’t get anywhere else in Japan.

I particularly loved their traditional onsen and lucky cat plushies; they were so cute and made a great addition to my collection.  

They even sell a special Rilakkuma Goshuin if you plan to collect stamps in the various temples.

I also bought a special keychain with Rilakkuma and Korilakkuma on a tatami mat, drinking tea. 

It had my birth date on it in pink, and they had one for every day of the month in different colours! 

Rilakkuma Honey Stand

You should also stop by the Rilakkuma Honey Stand. This serves all sorts of yummy treats to take away.

You’ll find a selection of hot drinks, ice cream, themed macarons and other snacks.

My favourite was the freshly made Rilakkuma sponge cakes. They were like miniature pancakes and so delicious.

It’s the perfect choice if the café is too busy or you want a quick kawaii snack. 

Rilakkuma Bamboo Grove

Lastly, don’t forget to check out the back of the store on your visit, as there are more kawaii treasures for you to find in their garden.

Here, you’ll find a Rilakkuma Bamboo Grove with a Jizo statue, which makes a wonderful photo opportunity in Arashiyama. 

We had so much fun here taking photos with our new plushies and snacks.

There’s also another statue with Rilakkuma and his friends that has the current date and some colourful artwork to admire on the walls. 

If you bought snacks from the honey stand, there are a limited number of seats out here that you can use.

Plus, you must search for some of the other adorable Rilakkuma Jizo stone statues dotted around. How sweet are they?

Things to do in Arashiyama 

Most people plan a visit to Arashiyama to visit the bamboo grove, and this is an enchanting place.

But it’s ridiculously crowded, and there are plenty of better attractions you can visit. It’s also not the only bamboo grove in Japan.

I recommend stopping by the bamboo garden in Adashino Nenbutsuji Temple for a more peaceful time.

You can then visit one of my favourite temples, Otagi Nenbutsuji, known as the temple of a thousand faces. 

Near the café, I recommend stopping by the Miffy Bakery and the Kimono Forest. 

Just a short walk away, you can visit the magical Katsura River over the ancient Togetsukyō Bridge. 

The Yusai-Tei Gallery can be accessed from the riverbank, which is breathtaking during momiji season. 

Plus, there are many temples, craft workshops, teahouses, and shops in abundance. 

It’s been a popular place of tourism for centuries, and there are almost too many amazing places to visit in Arashiyama. 

It can also be overwhelmingly busy. But it was easily one of my favourite days out in Japan, and I’d do it all over again.

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