Humanoid and Service Robots in Japan

From cat-eared restaurant helpers to avatar robots piloted by people at home, here is where visitors can meet Japan's friendly machines.

Published October 26, 2026 at 8:59 AM JST | By Tokyo Paul

Quick answer: Most robots visitors meet in Japan are service robots, not walking humanoids: cat-faced delivery carts in family restaurants, greeting and guide robots at venues, and remote-controlled avatar robots. Skylark, Japan's largest table-service restaurant chain, uses about 3,000 cat-eared delivery robots, according to a 2025 Bloomberg report carried by TechCrunch. Humanoid robots appear mainly as receptionists, exhibits and event guides.

Japan has a long affection for robots in anime, toys and factories, so visitors often expect to find them everywhere. The reality is more practical and, in many ways, more charming. Robots in Japan are mostly useful helpers shaped by a shrinking workforce and a love of friendly design. This guide explains the main types, where travelers can see them, what the technology is and is not doing, and how to behave politely around them.

Why robots fit Japan so well

Two forces explain the robot boom: demographics and culture. The same 2025 TechCrunch report, citing the Recruit Works Institute, says Japan is projected to face a labor shortfall of about 11 million workers by 2040, and a government-backed institute estimates nearly 40 percent of the population will be 65 or older by 2065. Businesses in hospitality, retail and logistics have looked to machines for repetitive tasks so that people can focus on service.

Culture matters too. Manga and anime characters such as Doraemon, the robot cat, have long portrayed robots as companions, and designers of service machines often give them faces, voices and cheerful colors. Fuji Keizai, a research firm cited in that report, projected the Japanese service robot market to nearly triple by 2030 to about 400 billion yen. Forecasts like this are estimates, but they show the direction of travel.

Restaurant robots: the cat-eared servers

The robot most visitors meet first is the restaurant delivery cart. At family restaurants run by Skylark, a wheeled robot with a cat-like face carries dishes to the table so that staff can spend more time with guests. TechCrunch, citing Bloomberg, reported that Skylark uses about 3,000 of these cat-eared machines, and that a Tokyo server estimated about half her work involved some robotic help.

These robots are not humanoids, and they are meant to support staff, not replace them. The practical etiquette is simple: step aside when one approaches, do not block its path, and follow the instructions the restaurant gives about taking dishes. The whole experience tends to feel like a tidy, friendly system instead of a gimmick.

The robot hotel that started a trend

Hotels have experimented with robot staff for years. Guinness World Records lists Henn-na Hotel, which opened on July 17, 2015, at the Huis Ten Bosch theme park in Nagasaki, as the first robot-staffed hotel. At launch the reception featured humanoid robots called actroids and a robotic dinosaur to help English-speaking guests, while an industrial robot handled luggage, and other machines helped with room tasks. A few human staff members worked there too.

The idea was playful and efficient at once, and it drew attention worldwide. Robot-themed hotels remain a novelty rather than the norm, and offerings differ between properties. If you stay at one, confirm the current check-in method and robot features on the hotel's official website, and remember that human staff are always the safest source of help.

Avatar robots with people behind them

One of Japan's most meaningful robot projects uses technology to connect people. The Tokyo Metropolitan Government's visitor site describes Avatar Robot Cafe DAWN ver. beta, an experimental cafe in Chuo Ward that opened in 2021. Guests are served by OriHime-D robots, about 120 centimeters tall, which are remote-controlled by pilots who may be housebound because of illness, disability or caregiving. The site stresses that these are not AI robots but are operated by real people.

About 70 pilots take part, according to the metropolitan site, and the robots carry a screen showing each pilot's name and face. The cafe was created by Ory Laboratory. Visitors can sit at robot-served tables or self-service tables, and reservations are recommended. Opening days and menus can change, so check the official cafe page before visiting. For many guests, the conversation with the pilot becomes the highlight.

Expo 2025 and the new generation

The Osaka-Kansai Expo in 2025 showed how robots may appear in daily life. The Bureau International des Expositions highlighted five robots at the event, including avatars from Flower Robotics, robotic devices that prepared and served food and drinks aimed at easing hospitality labor shortages, a multilingual humanoid greeter at the China pavilion, a walking concept vehicle from Kawasaki and the AI Suitcase.

The AI Suitcase, developed with the National Museum of Emerging Science and Innovation, known as Miraikan, is a suitcase-shaped robot that uses AI and sensors to guide visually impaired users. Miraikan says the Expo version worked both indoors and outdoors and could handle curbs. Examples like this show that useful robots do not need to look like people to be remarkable.

Airports and public spaces

Airports and transport hubs have tested guide robots to help travelers. A 2021 announcement from Kobe Airport described about ten travel assistant robots that answered questions, helped people find their way and suggested restaurants, along with roughly ten welcoming robots, developed with CyberAgent's AI lab and Osaka University. Some were remote-controlled communication robots.

Such programs are often trials, so what visitors see changes. When you arrive, look for information desks, digital signs and multilingual staff first, and treat any robot as a bonus. If a robot is on display, follow the posted instructions, keep a respectful distance and ask before photographing staff who stand nearby.

How to enjoy robots as a visitor

Pick experiences that match your interests. Families can enjoy delivery robots at a restaurant, technology fans can look for demonstrations and museum exhibits, and those curious about inclusion can visit the avatar cafe. Check opening hours, reservation rules and photography policies on official sites, since robot venues often change their offerings.

Finally, keep expectations realistic. Humanoid robots in Japan are mostly demonstrations, greeters and research platforms, while the machines doing daily work are often simple, wheeled and well designed. That quiet usefulness is the real story: technology that helps people do their jobs and gives visitors a smile.

Want to go deeper? Tokyo Paul's book Manga-Style How Japan Works is available on Amazon.

Frequently Asked Questions

Where can visitors see robots in Japan?

The easiest place is a family restaurant, where delivery robots carry food to tables. Visitors can also see greeter or guide robots at some hotels, airports and events, and the avatar robot cafe in Tokyo's Nihonbashi area. Check each venue's official site first, because robot services change over time and some are trials.

Are there real humanoid robots in Japanese hotels and restaurants?

Rarely in daily service. Henn-na Hotel opened in 2015 with humanoid receptionists as a showcase, but most restaurant and hotel robots today are wheeled carts, kiosks or remote-controlled avatars. Humanoid machines appear mainly as greeters, exhibits and research platforms, and offerings vary by business.

Are the avatar robots in Tokyo run by artificial intelligence?

No. According to the Tokyo Metropolitan Government's visitor site, the OriHime-D robots at the DAWN avatar robot cafe are operated by real people, called pilots, who control them remotely by mouse or eye tracking. Each robot shows the pilot's name and face on a screen.

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