Avatar Robot Cafe DAWN ver.β is a permanent “living laboratory” in Nihonbashi, central Tokyo, “where diners are served by real‑time‑piloted OriHime and 1.2‑metre OriHime‑D robots, letting bed‑bound people work and socialise again. DAWN’s remote staff, known as “pilots,” now number more than 60 and include people living with ALS, spinal muscular atrophy and other severe conditions.
Avatar Robot Cafe DAWN ver.β’s concept proved so impressive, the cafe and its OriHime won Japan’s 2021 Good Design Grand Award, the country’s top design honour, for removing obstacles to work and daily life through telepresence. For the pilots themselves, operating a robot waiter from a bedroom offers both income and increased social connection.
The cafe is run by OryLab Inc., a Tokyo start‑up co-founded by Ory Yoshifuji, CVO of OryLab Inc. and Inventor of OriHime. Its vision is to fight loneliness, developing technology to expand human agency, for example school‑attendance avatars for house‑bound children, deployment in service sectors like airport information desks, a guided tour through a Tokyo neighbourhood, and even opening a sister cafe in Aarhus, Denmark, in April 2025.
Before coming to dine at Avatar Robot Cafe DAWN ver.β, you will need to reserve an OriHime Diner ticket. You can make reservations via their reservation system. Note that same-day reservations are not accepted. Reservations are not required if you are looking for a drink at the Bar Counter (alcohol and non-alcohol beverages available) or grab a coffee made by pilots who have undergone barista training. Learn more about your visit experience here.
Sharing a table with an OriHime pilot is an experience in “ichi-go ichi-e,” a once‑in‑a‑lifetime encounter that can leave a lasting, positive impact. Your visit does not only cement job security for the pilots and support research into more work models. You will also discover the preciousness of ichi-go ichi-e, meeting new people who leave a positive influence in your life.
