This article is a research list of accommodations whose conditions could be confirmed as of 2026-08-19, based on Neko Yado Research’s published individual articles, audits of distance to cats, and official/current accommodation information confirmed in each article. Please check the official information of each inn before making a reservation, as business hours, cat availability, accommodation plans, and transportation conditions may change.
In Yamagata Prefecture, we were able to confirm six accommodations, including an inn where you can meet a resident cat, an inn where a resident cat appears in the lobby in the morning, and a pension where cats live on the plateau. Since we cannot confirm the guest-room visit type, we will compare the differences between contact with cats and hot springs.
Criteria for posting this list
We will post all 6 published individual articles belonging to Yamagata Prefecture Cat Inn Category. The order is not a ranking.
The three accommodations where contact inside the inn can be confirmed are B, and the three accommodations where cat presence is confirmed but the scope of contact is unconfirmed are C.
Accommodations where conditions were confirmed
Azumaso
Illustrative imageBasic information
- Location: Tendo/Tendo Onsen, Yamagata Prefecture
- Distance with cats: B — Interaction inside the inn or in dedicated spaces; encounters with the resident cat in the lobby are documented.
- Check this list: Individual articles that organize official information and current accommodation information
- Accommodation features: Tendo Onsen inn, food and hot springs
Features of this inn
This inn is known as a hot spring inn with a resident cat. Because there is a lot of information about past cats, please check the current cats you can meet and where they appear before making a reservation.
Cat visits to guest rooms cannot be confirmed. Make hot springs and dining your main purpose, and respect the distance the cat chooses if you meet in the lobby.
Shirabu Onsen Nishiya
Illustrative imageBasic information
- Location: Shirabu Onsen, Yonezawa City, Yamagata Prefecture
- Distance with cats: B｜inside the inn・You can interact with cats in a dedicated space. There is a guide to meeting the resident cat in the morning lobby.
- Check this list: Individual articles organizing official resident cat/accommodation information
- Accommodation features: Famous hot water waterfall bath, Yamagata cuisine, historic hot spring inn
Features of this inn
The inn will provide specific information on where and when you can meet resident cats Onden and Kagura. It is not a guest-room visit type, but it is easy to plan contact with cats even if you have not been interviewed yet.
The cat’s appearance schedule will change depending on his physical condition. Choose from the famous hot water waterfall bath, meals, and transportation to the mountain area.
Lodge Hot Time
Illustrative imageBasic information
- Location: Yonezawa City, Yamagata Prefecture
- Distance with cats: B｜inside the inn・You can interact with them in a dedicated space. A friendly resident cat greets guests.
- Check this list: Official website and individual articles organizing local accommodation information
- Accommodation features: 12 rooms in total, Yonezawa beef cuisine, ski resort area, transportation required by reservation.
Features of this inn
A highland lodge where friendly cats and dogs live. Guest-room visits cannot be confirmed, so I have organized them as B, where you interact when a cat approaches inside the inn.
Yonezawa beef meals, skiing, and highland sightseeing are also important factors when choosing an accommodation. During winter, be sure to check road conditions and transportation conditions.
Onogawa Onsen Kameya Mannenkaku
Illustrative imageBasic information
- Location: Onogawa Onsen, Yonezawa City, Yamagata Prefecture
- Distance to cat: C｜Meet resident cat (unconfirmed contact). You may meet in the lobby etc.
- Check this list: Individual articles organizing hot spring resorts and current accommodation information
- Accommodation features: 5 rooms in total, natural hot spring water, Yonezawa beef dishes
Features of this inn
This is an inn where you can enjoy hot springs and food in a few guest rooms while waiting to meet the resident cat. It is C because the extent of contact and guest-room visits cannot be confirmed.
Rather than thinking of contact with cats as a promised experience, we choose Onogawa Onsen and the tranquility of all 5 rooms as our main purpose.
Senso Yudagawa
Illustrative imageBasic information
- Location: Tsuruoka/Yudagawa Onsen, Yamagata Prefecture
- Distance with cats: C｜You can meet the resident cat (petting unconfirmed). The presence of the second-generation resident cat Navi is confirmed.
- Check this list: Individual articles that organize information from the official website and Yutagawa Onsen Tourism Association
- Accommodation features: Natural hot springs, Shonai cuisine, close to bus stop
Features of this inn
This is a hot spring inn where the resident cat Navi may greet you at the entrance. Current presence is confirmed, but contact points and guest room visits are unconfirmed.
We will focus on the natural hot springs, Shonai cuisine, and the hot spring town as the center of our trip. If we meet Navi, we will quietly watch over him.
Pension Noel
Illustrative imageBasic information
- Location: Zao Bodaira Kogen, Kaminoyama City, Yamagata Prefecture
- Distance to the cat: C｜Meet the resident cat (unconfirmed contact). Three rescued and foster cats live here
- Check this list: Individual articles organizing the official website and FAQ
- Accommodation features: 8 rooms in total, home-cooked meals, private family bath, highland forest
Features of this inn
Three cats live here, but the inn advises that they usually spend their time in the cat’s room and that it is difficult to interact with them. This is the inn of C, which was chosen after understanding the policy of not using cats as customer service.
The forest environment, meals, and family baths are the main features. If the cat goes inside the inn, do not chase it and keep a safe distance.
How to choose by purpose
- Certain time and place to meet cats: Nishiya
- Onsen town and resident cat: Azumaso
- Highlands, skiing and cats: Lodge Hot Time, Pension Noel
- Few guest rooms and natural hot spring water: Kameya Mannenkaku, Senso Yudagawa
Things to check before making a reservation
- Cats you can meet now and their appearance locations and times
- Must be a lobby exchange, not a guest-room visit.
- Conditions for hot springs, meals, common facilities, and private baths
- Route bus, shuttle, and winter road conditions
- Rules for entering and photographing cats when they are resting
Summary
The six inns in Yamagata Prefecture are accommodations where you can meet a cat at the lobby of a hot spring resort, an inn on a plateau, or an entrance. They are suitable for people who would be happy to meet a cat while staying at a hot spring or in the highlands, rather than those who prioritize having a cat come to the guest room.
Please also take a look at 10 cat inns in Tohoku and Cat inns where you can enjoy hot springs. Detailed evidence is summarized in each individual article.
