Cuddly toys get their own beds at Japanese hotel
Nui-katsu — 'doing things with stuffed animals' — has become increasingly popular, especially on social media where people share pictures of their favourite soft toys at events such as Expo 2025 in Osaka.
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The hotel chain Toyoko Inn is hoping to cater for the the trend by offering mini-beds, complete with bedclothes and tiny pyjamas, so the toys can sleep beside their owners for an extra 300 yen (£1.50).
A hotel representative, who led the project, told the J-Cast News website that he often travelled with a stuffed animal, and hoped the service would appeal to Gen Z travellers.
'I thought that if Toyoko Inn has a plan where you can stay with your dog, we should be able to offer something similar for stuffed animals,' he said. 'We've kept it to the bare minimum so that stuffed animals can stay with peace of mind at a stable price, just like at Toyoko Inn, and created this set with the idea of a sleepover together in mind.'
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The service has been introduced as a trial at the Toyoko Inn Osaka Dome, and has exceeded expectations. The representative said the company was seeking to expand the project.
The response online has been overwhelmingly positive. The hotel's website encourages guests to take photographs of their toys, and offers a small gift if they show a social media post with the hashtag #ForYourOshiActivityToyokoInn at the front desk.
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'What a cute and perfectly sized bed!! Getting ready in pyjamas too,' one guest wrote on X under a post showing a stuffed horse and a unicorn sharing the small bed.
Another wrote: 'It was just the right size and absolutely adorable. The stuffies are sleeping soundly in dreamland.'
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