Can I take photos at googoo?

Yes. Please don't use flash, as it startles the meerkats, and live streaming is not allowed.

Why are my meerkat photos blurry?

Meerkats move quickly. Hold your camera ready before the moment, and shoot in bursts so you can choose later.

Can I hold a meerkat for a photo?

Holding a meerkat is only for guests who order an instant photo (cheki, 770 yen), only while the photos are being taken, with staff close by.

How to Take Good Meerkat Photos Six tips that need no special camera

Published 7 October 2026 ／ Meerkat Cafe googoo, Kichijoji, Tokyo

“I couldn't get a good photo” is something we often hear. Meerkats move quickly and rarely keep still for long. The tips below are not about equipment — they are about how you wait and where you hold your camera.

1. Be ready before the moment

If you start aiming only when a meerkat stands up, you will usually be too late. Hold your camera ready and focused first, so all you need to do is press.

2. Get down to their eye level

Shooting while standing makes the face look small. Crouch down to the meerkat's eye level, or slightly below. The same meerkat looks completely different from this height.

3. No flash

This is a rule rather than a tip: flash startles the animals, so please don't use it. If the photo looks dark, move yourself so the light from the window or the lamps falls on the meerkat's face.

4. Shoot in bursts and choose later

Taking many shots and picking the best afterwards works better than aiming carefully for one. The faster the meerkat, the more this helps.

5. Check the background first

Before you aim, look once at what is behind the meerkat. A wall or plants behind make the outline clear; a crowd behind makes it hard to see who the star is.

6. Spend some time without the camera

If you are staying 30 minutes, try spending the last 10 minutes without taking photos. You will see expressions you miss through the screen.

At the meerkats' pace

We don't turn meerkats around or hold them in place for photos. If you wait quietly, natural moments often come. Live streaming is not allowed.

Book in English — no LINE or app needed. More: Prices ／ Your first visit ／ Visiting alone

Questions

Can I take photos at googoo?: Yes. Please don't use flash, as it startles the meerkats, and live streaming is not allowed.
Why are my meerkat photos blurry?: Meerkats move quickly. Hold your camera ready before the moment, and shoot in bursts so you can choose later.
What angle works best?: Crouch down to the meerkat's eye level, or slightly below.
Can I hold a meerkat for a photo?: Holding a meerkat is only for guests who order an instant photo (cheki, 770 yen), only while the photos are being taken, with staff close by.