Japanese businesses use goats for wellness, workplace healing

FACILITIES and companies in Japan are keeping goats for their gentle and friendly nature and their spiritual healing effect.

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On a lawn beside a building near JR Totsuka Station in Yokohama, a 78-year-old resident was feeding two goats kept by coffee shop owner Taizo Katayama, 56, while they chatted.

“Goats have a healing power,” the man said to Katayama with a smile.

The goats are sisters, seven and eight years old and weigh 90kg. There is a shed and lawn near the building and anyone is welcome to visit them.

Katayama started keeping the animals as pets about eight years ago to teach local children about the importance of life.

“I noticed that everyone smiled when they saw the animals,” he said.

Today, people who come across the goats on their walks look happy and say, “Look! There are goats,” Katayama said. Local children also come to feed them.