Hotel-goers in Japan now have the option to reserve a lodging for their plush companions
Toyoko Inn, a popular Japanese hotel chain, has recently introduced a unique service catering to guests who travel with their beloved stuffed toys. This new offering, launched on June 25, 2025, includes reserving a bed and tiny night robe for the toys, as well as providing overnight gear such as bed linen and bathrobes for them.
The service, inspired by Toyoko Inn's existing pet-friendly policies, was designed with a sleepover in mind. The representative of Toyoko Inn stated that the service was conceived to accommodate the growing niche trend of "nuikatsu" (ぬい活), a social phenomenon where people treat their stuffed toys as travel companions.
"Nuikatsu" (active care of and travel with stuffed toys) has been gaining traction in Japan over recent years, blending affection for plush toys with travel and social media sharing. The trend, particularly appealing to younger generations and fans of kawaii (cute) culture, has been gaining attention on social media, with some hospitality businesses introducing targeted offers to meet this unique demand.
The Toyoko Inn Osaka Dome Mae has been the first to launch this service, and Toyoko Inn is planning to expand it to other locations soon. Guests who take advantage of this service and share their experiences on social media using the hashtag #推し活なら東横イン can even receive an extra gift.
Despite being a modestly scaled subculture, the popularity of the service has exceeded expectations. However, as of 2025, there are no search results directly addressing the "nuikatsu" trend—its current status, popularity, or hotel services related to guests traveling with stuffed toys in Japan. The provided results mainly concern unrelated topics such as video games, koi fish, and sports.
For the most current, detailed status and specific hotel offerings, checking recent Japanese social media trends or hospitality industry news directly would be necessary, as this information is not reflected in the provided search results.
- The unique service offered by Toyoko Inn, a Japanese hotel chain, allows guests to bring their beloved stuffed toys on their travels, furnishing them with beds, night robes, and overnight gear.
- Inspired by Toyoko Inn's pet-friendly policies, this service caters to the growing niche trend of "nuikatsu," a social phenomenon in Japan where people treat their plush toys as travel companions.
- This "nuikatsu" trend, driven by younger generations and fans of kawaii culture, has been gaining attention on social media, sparking some hospitality businesses to introduce targeted offers to meet this unique demand.
- Toyoko Inn's innovative service, initially launched at Osaka Dome Mae, is planning to expand to other locations, and guests sharing their experiences using the hashtag #推し活なら東[control_150]
