Gifu City, the capital of Gifu Prefecture, is located about 20 minutes by train from Nagoya Station. Exiting JR Gifu Station, the city's gateway, you'll find a large bus terminal and rows of skyscrapers. While it's a modern city, it's also a well-balanced area, with vestiges of the past still visible in the Yanagase Shopping Arcade, and abundant natural beauty, including mountains and rivers. Another 20 minutes by bus from JR Gifu Station is in an area with beautiful mountain views and where people go about their daily lives. The first branch of Neko Republic, a self-run cat rescue cafe run by Kawase Asaka, whose role is "Prime Minister," is located here. Even on weekdays, the cafe is bustling with customers.

I've lived surrounded by dogs and cats since I was a child.

Kawase Asaka, the fourth generation owner of a bakery, grew up in a household with many dogs and cats from a young age. Whenever she came across an abandoned cat, she couldn't just leave it there, so she would bring it home and look for a foster home for it. "Having animals around was a normal part of our lives, so my parents never got angry when I brought them home," she said, looking back on those days.

The Beginnings of Neko Republic

It all started with the Great East Japan Earthquake in 2011. When Kawase learned of an organization rescuing dogs and cats stranded in the evacuation zones surrounding the nuclear power plant, she decided to do something to help, and donated a portion of the sales from her popular bagel set to the rescue organization. "I think that was my first time helping cats," Kawase recalls. Later, through a program called the "Women and Youth Business Support Program" run by Gifu Prefecture, she came up with the idea of creating a rescue cat cafe that would allow her to balance rescue efforts with business. The first Neko Republic store opened in Gifu City on February 2, 2014, Cat Day.

"In addition to protecting and adopting stray cats, we also employ staff, charge customers an entrance fee, and provide services in return. Running cat protection activities as a sustainable business is something that Neco Republic values," Kawase said, speaking passionately about his thoughts, which have not changed since then.

Connections with people lead to the expansion of Neko Republic and its cat rescue activities

"When we first started, many people thought that they were receiving cats for free and "giving them away," Kawase recalls. Recently, rescued cats and dogs have been given more attention on television, and more people are considering welcoming rescued cats into their families, and the mindset that pet owners should have is gradually spreading. "Because Neco Republic has bases all over the country and we are involved in cat rescue activities as a company, each and every member can devote themselves to their work, and what's more, we all work together in the same direction, even when it's difficult to do it alone," says Kawase.

The joy of having a cat in your life

"We've been in trouble many times up until now, but each time a cat godwind blows through and helps us overcome the obstacles," Kawase said with a smile. Kawase said that a country that values small lives is a prosperous country. "To give all the cats in the world a place to sleep in peace and a belly full of happiness," Neco Republic's mission may provide an opportunity for us to reexamine our way of life as human beings.

Kawase says that in order to realize a fulfilling life for cats and people, it is necessary to face human issues. He is now taking on new challenges to help elderly people and cats live together in peace. At Neco Republic in Gifu City, where nature and the city coexist in perfect balance and daily life flows peacefully, new challenges are being born every day.

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Rescue Cat Cafe Neko Republic Gifu Branch

Address: 1982-4 Masaki, Gifu City, Gifu Prefecture, 502-0857

Access: 20 minutes by bus from the central north exit of JR Gifu Station

HP: https://www.neco-republic.jp/shop/shop-necorepublic-gifu/

*For details on business hours and holidays, please check the link above.