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One of Tokyo’s most popular must-see landmarks isn’t a temple, shrine or observation deck – it’s a giant digital cat. Here’s how to find the famous feline.
Perched high above the east exit of Shinjuku Station, the famous Shinjuku 3D Cat appears to climb out of a huge curved video screen, mews at passers-by, then curls up to sleep as night falls. Since its debut in 2021, it has become one of Tokyo’s biggest social media attractions and a must-see stop for visitors exploring Shinjuku.
Best of all, it’s completely free to watch.
Article by Helen Foster. Disclosure: Some links in this post are affiliate links. See our Affiliate Disclosure.
I thought pretty much everyone knew where she was, but the other day in my Facebook group, someone said, ‘I’m in Shibuya, and I can’t see the cat,’ – so I thought a mini guide might come in handy.
Where is the 3D Cat?
Not in Shibuya!
The cat appears on the Cross Shinjuku Vision, a massive curved LED screen on the side of the Cross Shinjuku Building opposite Shinjuku Station’s East Exit.
If you’re coming into Shinjuku Station, the easiest way to find it is to follow signs to the East Exit and head outside. The screen is impossible to miss and is just a one-minute walk from the station.
If you are already in Shinjuku and coming from Kabukicho, walk straight up Godzilla Road (not surprisingly, this is the one with the giant Godzilla head at the end of it), cross the main road by Don Quixote and keep walking straight up the side road. This will bring you out at the base of the cat – then, cross the road to the square to see it.
If you are on the other side of Shinjuku, head toward the far south end of the Omiode Yokocho road of bars (near the big Uniqlo) – Tajimaya Coffee is another landmark. Turn left from Omiode Yokocho and walk east down the small side road (away from the busy road). It will look like a dead end, but the road curves around and goes under the rail tracks via an underpass – follow this, and you’ll come out in front of the screen.
When Can You See It?
The screen operates every day from 7 am until 1 am, although note that after midnight, the screen works but you won’t hear anything as the sound is muted – and she does have a very cute miaow!
The cat appears between the adverts on the screen, but she does her big performance every 15 minutes.
On the hour, and at quarter past, half past and quarter to, the screen switches to “Neko TV”, a short sequence dedicated entirely to cat shenanigans. During these mini performances, you might see her:
- Wake up and stretch.
- Peer over the edge of the screen
- Roll around showing her belly (which every cat owner knows is a danger sign)
- Meow at the crowd below.
- Knock something off the screen (she is a cat after all)
- Scratch herself or wash her paws.
- Chase butterflies or other objects.
- Curl up and go to sleep later in the evening.
Exactly what she does depends on the time of day. Her performance also changes every now and again to go with seasonal events – she was playing with pumpkins at Halloween. If you want to see some past ones, head to the Cross Shinjuku Vision YouTube channel where they have an archive.
Why is the Cat There?
She’s basically a big furry advertising executive!
When the giant Cross Shinjuku Vision advertising screen was erected in 2021, the owners wanted a way to show the screen’s cool 3D technology and attract attention to the ads they were selling.
They commissioned Japanese creative company Omnibus Japan to produce the animation, and well, let’s just say it worked!
The cat went viral, won heaps of advertising awards, and she’s now on must-see lists for lots of people’s Japan trips – including yours, I guess, as you’re reading this.
Sometimes she even teams up with the brands advertising on the screen – there was a fun collaboration with QVC which saw her sitting in one of their delivery boxes. She’s also worked with Roomba!
However, she doesn’t just sell things. She’s also used to transmit important messages – one time I was there, she had a little police hat on, warning people not to follow touts in Kabukicho. Look at the first picture to see it.
Why Do I Keep Calling Her She?
Because I once put a picture of her up on my Facebook group and called her ‘he’ – at which point someone pointed out that she’s a calico cat – and calico cats are almost always female!
See, transmitting important messages!
Tips for Visiting
- You can see the cat all day but visit after dark to see the LED screen at its brightest.
- If you arrive just after one of the 15-minute performances, it’s worth waiting a few minutes as the cat frequently reappears between adverts.
- Stand in the plaza opposite the building for the strongest 3D effect. This happens because the screen is curved in a way that tricks your brain into seeing depth. If you get it at the wrong angle, it won’t be as good.
- Photographing the screen doesn’t always work brilliantly – as you can see by the picture below. This is called a moire pattern, and it’s caused when two light frequencies interact in a way I don’t understand (obviously, or I wouldn’t have fuzzy pictures). Apparently, changing your camera angle can help. Make sure you check your pics before you move on.
Is it Worth Seeing?
It’s pretty cute and definitely a cool Japan thing to see. If you’re coming to Shinjuku anyway, it’s only a few minutes away from big sites like Kabukicho or Omoide Yokocho, so it’s worth taking a detour – try to time your arrival just before the big performance, though, so you’re not hanging around too long.
What Other Cat Things Are There in Tokyo?
There are a few different ones…
- You can visit some actual cute cats at the fairytale-like Petit Mura Cat Cafe
- Visit Gotoku-ji, a shrine full of white waving cats and write a tribute to your own furry friend
- There’s also a cat-themed tram that will take you there
- At Komagome Myogi shrine, you can get gorgeous black cat goushin (temple stamps)
- Yanaka Ginza has a bit of a mini cat theme going on – you can buy cat-shaped biscuits and taiyaki
- You can even book a cat-themed tour that will take you to many of the above.
Who Writes This Blog?
My name is Helen Foster, and I’m a journalist and author. My travel articles have appeared in publications including The Australian, Escape, RAC Horizons, Jetstar Magazine, Sainsbury’s Magazine, and more.
I’ve travelled to Japan nine times before – solo and with my partner and visited over 50 towns and cities. My last visit was in April 2026, so everything here is pretty up to date.