Adorable Stray Cats Keep This Diorama Restaurant Running Despite Challenges During The Pandemic By Chilling On The Miniature Models
COVID-19 certainly brought financial struggles not just to individuals but also to businesses. In Osaka, Japan, an establishment called Diorama Restaurant is one of those businesses that suffered from the impacts of the pandemic.
The owner of the restaurant is a railway enthusiast named Naoki Teraoka. His restaurant, which is a miniature railway-themed ramen house, opened in 2018.
When the global pandemic suddenly hit, Teraoka considered closing down his business. But that was until a miracle came.
There was a fluffy furball who came to his rescue. This little one helped him keep the business open despite the financial difficulties.
According to Teraoka, the pandemic drained him and his family both physically and mentally. They almost closed down the business because the number of customers they were getting wasn't enough to keep it running.
Teraoka found a tiny kitten, who was dangerously ill, near his ramen house in June 2020. He decided to adopt the little creature and named him Simba.
The restaurant owner saw another cat peeking through the window the following day. Eventually, the cat began visiting the restaurant daily, and they realized that it was Simba's mom.
Teraoka began feeding the mother cat some food, as the restaurant had plenty of leftovers, and the mother cat soon brought her three young ones with her. That's when Teraoka was hit with a brilliant idea.
He decided to rebuild his restaurant with an all-new concept. Even with financial struggles, they decided to help the cats.
Little did he know, it was the opposite. It was the cats who would save his business.
No, it's not a giant cat.
It's a feline hanging around miniature models.
The cats, together with the miniature models, are part of the restaurant's attractions.
They help the restaurant owner keep his business alive.
It all started when he found one stray kitten.
It turns out the sick kitten he cared for would be part of the revival of his business.
Eventually, the whole family of the kitten showed up.
The cats began lounging and chilling on his miniature models.
The restaurant owner saw this as an opportunity, so he took pictures and shared them on Instagram.
Through his social media posts, people from all over Japan became interested in the cats.
All thanks to the felines, the business is alive and kicking.
He wanted to thank his furballs for bringing his business back to life.
So he opened a cat hotel, which is just above his restaurant.
Customers can spend a maximum of 2 hours in the cat hotel while they drink tea and play with the cats.
They can also request to adopt a cat if they've particularly bonded with one.
Teraoka wanted to rescue more cats from death.
So he looked for them in locations where cats are often slaughtered.
In September 2021, he went as far as 224 miles away from his business and was able to rescue a couple of kittens.
The restaurant owner has helped about 100 cats and found forever homes for over 60 cats.
The number of cats he rescues will only continue to increase.
Teraoka found a new hope in these cats.
He has come a long way from being a restaurant owner. Now, he's also an animal rescuer.
And it all started when a poor stray cat stayed near his restaurant. The cat family eventually grew and is now bringing joy to the visitors.
If you're in the area and you want to bond with cats, check out the Diorama Restaurant website, as there are strict regulations during this challenging time. You'll find more information about his cat facility there too.
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